The Incidence and Patterns of Discrimination and Harassment Affecting Working Women in Australia

Abstract

This study explored 9015 cases of discrimination and harassment reported over a three year period (2001-2004) to the Queensland Working Women's Service (QWWS), a community based organisation in Australia which specialises in advice, assistance and advocacy for working women. The quantitative study examined two forms of harassment (workplace bullying and sexual harassment) and six forms of discrimination (age, pregnancy, sex, race, family responsibilities and age) to establish the patterns of occurrence across different demographic categories (e.g., age, industry, occupation, union membership, background). The findings reveal women's vulnerabilities change according to lifecycle stages, and that structural aspects of their employment are of greater significance in determining whether they experience discrimination and harassment than the types of jobs they perform.