If you work in a STEM job (science, technology, engineering and math), odds are good that you have seen discrimination at work. Maybe it’s happened to you. Maybe it’s happened to a co-worker while you were around. Unfortunately, it is very common, especially gender discrimination and sexual discrimination.
In fact, some reports claim that about 50% of women working in these professions have experienced some form of gender discrimination. It does happen to men as well, but only about 19% of them reported it. This clearly shows that there is a substantial gap in the way that men and women experience discrimination and the type of treatment that they get at work.
That’s not all. If you thought that 50% was high — and it is — then you should know that specific types of jobs within that umbrella STEM classification had even greater discrimination rates. For instance, when women with “computer jobs” were asked, a staggering 74% said that they were discriminated against on the job. For those who worked in a “majority-male workplace,” the percentage jumped up even higher to 78%.
Women have all of the same rights as men in the workplace, even when working in professions that have traditionally gone to men far more often. Even so, it is obvious that not everyone respects these rights or understands that female employees are equals.
If you have been victimized by gender discrimination, sexual harassment and related issues, it is critical that you know what you can do to put an end to it and what legal steps you need to take.