Understanding and addressing backlash to gender equality reform

The challenge

The Victoria Police have been working to implement key recommendations from an independent review into the nature, extent, drivers and impact of sex discrimination and sexual harassment, including predatory behaviour, among Victoria Police employees. There has been significant progress towards the gender equality recommendations across the organisation; however, workplace harm still continues to occur at unacceptably high levels and still affects far more women than men, with crippling individual and organisational impacts.

Resistance to gender equality reform especially from men is common. It may arise from boys and men feeling a sense of discomfort that their own behaviours are being called into question, feeling blamed and shamed for gender inequality, a lack of awareness about what constitutes gender inequality/equality (in terms of particular attitudes or behaviours) or feeling pressure from others to be resistant.

This pilot project sought to better understand the backlash to gender equality reform identified within Victoria Police. The 2018 document: Challenges – Values of Safety, Respect and Inclusion found in particular:

• Continued belief among some employees that the gender equality reforms were not necessary
• Continued backlash against gender equality initiatives, particularly from male employees
• Confusion about ‘everyday sexism’, with persistent beliefs that it is harmless banter or ‘letting off steam’

This backlash severely compromises efforts to embed gender equality within Victoria Police by 2030 and provides a strong warrant for this proposed research.