I'd say it's not even that common in the programming world either. But the internet collects cases from all over the world, and the programming sites blow them

I'd say it's not even that common in the programming world either. But the internet collects cases from all over the world, and the programming sites blow them out of proportion (is there a Hacker News for bio chemical engineering?). There are sites that try to list all such incidents. If you compare them to the number of people and companies in the field, you realize not that much is actually happening... I think feminists have also set a special sight on programming. I suspect it is because it is one of the few engineering jobs that seem compatible with women. Sorry for the stereotypes - I don't speak for all women, but consider that with programming you don't get oil on your clothes, you don't have to walk through mud all day, etc. That's why feminists think women should have more part in programming (at least it's a theory...).