A national survey conducted by advocacy group Women of Colour Australia in collaboration with Murdoch University surveyed 543 women of colour in Australia on the issue of workplace discrimination. It found that almost 60 per cent of respondents experienced discrimination relating to their identity, such as their sex, ethnicity, age or religion. This is quite an alarming statistic, with Asian Australian women being part of this mix. In an ABC article on this survey, a few Asian Australian women were interviewed as part of the survey’s data release. CEO of public speaking agency Cathy Ngo is one of them. She tells ABC News:
In a Sydney pub with her colleagues, Cathy Ngo thought it would be a normal Friday night out for after-work drinks.
Instead, to her shock, she was approached by a male colleague at the company, who picked her up and swung her over his shoulder.
Ms Ngo said her now former co-worker shouted to the pub, “I love Asian women!”
He later told Ms Ngo that his words were “just a compliment”, but Ms Ngo was rattled.
“He was a very tall, six-foot white guy. And I was 22 years old. I’m quite petite as well, [only] five-foot tall,” she said.
Brenda Gaddi, founder for Women of Colour Australia discussed her concerns about the under reporting of workplace discrimination:
“Even if we’re saying 60 per cent, it might be like 70 per cent or 80 per cent in reality,”
She also spoke to ABC News on why it is difficult for women of colour to speak up at work when facing discrimination in the workplace:
“A lot of women, especially women of colour, they don’t feel safe because of the potential repercussions,”
“[The complaint] might affect their job prospects, then their economic standing.”
It is awesome that a report like this has been released. The Women of Colour Australia will be holding a virtual event later today and will formally launch their report at this event.
Images via ABC News
To read the full article, please click on: Six in 10 Australian women of colour experience discrimination at work, survey finds