Discrimination, sexual harassment and wage exploitation. Our survey shows that migrant women across Victoria face higher levels of gender-based violence at work and have less access to information, protections and safe reporting pathways.

Our survey “Change It From Within” which focused working women’s experiences in historically male dominated industries, found that migrant women are working in workplaces where risks go unseen and unaddressed. In historically male-dominated industries, such as construction, transport and maritime, discrimination and gender-based violence are not isolated incidents and shape everyday working life.

Beyond creating hostile work environments for everyone, this violence translates into: lower pay, blocked career progression and ongoing economic insecurity for the women affected.

When gender-based violence becomes the norm

Gender-based violence is not marginal but structural. 68% of migrant women in historically male dominated industries report experiencing gender discrimination, such as restricted access to promotions, training or permanent positions, compared with 55% of women overall.

In reality, discrimination and violence are deeply intertwined. 57% of migrant women in these industries have experienced sexual harassment or other forms of gender-based violence, ranging from sexually suggestive comments or behaviours to situations of coercion and intimidation.

Discrimination structures everyday inequalities, blocked career pathways and biased assessments, while violence, particularly sexual harassment, occurs in workplaces where masculine norms dominate and where women, especially migrant women, are seen as illegitimate or disposable.

“I have been subjected to continuous sexual harassment from my supervisor since the second month after I joined the company… For my work visa, I had no choice but to swallow my anger.”
– Migrant woman and Spraypainter, VIC

Discrimination leads to serious material consequences

The violence and discrimination experienced by migrant women have direct material impacts. They result in wage inequality, wage theft and severely compromised career trajectories.

In hospitality, 72% of migrant women report having experienced wage theft. Practices reported include: being paid below the legal minimum wage, unpaid hours, or payslips that do not reflect the actual hours worked.

In male-dominated industries, gender discrimination also manifests through limited access to permanent contracts, training and advancement opportunities, keeping many migrant women in precarious and lower-paid jobs.

“During COVID on a student visa I was getting paid $10 an hour… I didn’t get any government support, so I accepted as I needed money to survive.”
– Migrant woman and Venue manager, VIC

Being a migrant woman means facing multiple, overlapping forms of discrimination

The survey results show that discrimination doesn’t simply add up, but reinforces itself. In industries historically dominated by men, 44% of migrant women say that characteristics other than gender, such as race, ethnicity or disability, have negatively affected how they are treated at work, compared with 33% of women overall.

Looking at migrant women’s experiences as a whole, rather than separately, is essential to understanding why some women are more exposed than others to discrimination and violence. This way of analysing inequality is known as intersectionality. It helps explain how gender, migration status and other forms of disadvantage interact, and why one-size-fits-all responses fail migrant women.

Without accessible information, asserting rights becomes difficult

Despite the scale of the violence, silence remains the norm. In hospitality, 87% of migrant women who experienced gender discrimination did not seek any support at work. Less than a quarter say they are confident in their ability to lodge a detailed complaint.

This silence is not an individual choice, but the product of a system. Dependence on visas, fear of losing one’s job or a future sponsorship opportunity, and weak internal complaint mechanisms make speaking out too risky.

“Too many of my international coworkers are too scared to speak up in case their visas or future in the country is jeopardized.”
Migrant woman and Chef, VIC

This is compounded by a widespread lack of awareness of workplace rights. Less than one in three migrant women surveyed are aware of recent changes to workers’ rights, such as family and domestic violence leave, parental leave entitlements or flexible work arrangements. Protections that are essential for women exposed to violence.

The testimonies reveal a recurring pattern: precarity in migration status strengthens employers’ power, severely limiting women’s ability to speak out or seek support, and creating conditions where exploitation and gender-based harm can occur.

“I feel like as an immigrant on a work visa you are treated like a disposable commodity.”
– Migrant woman and Food and Beverage Attendant, VIC

Addressing work-related gender-based violence requires structural change, including clear and accessible information about rights, independent and safe complaint mechanisms, stronger protections for migrant women workers, and reduced dependence on employer-sponsored visas.

Things must change. Advancing women’s rights is a collective struggle, and these barriers cannot be ignored.

Learn about your working rights Workplace Justice Visa (WJV)

All statistics referenced in this article are drawn from the Victorian Trades Hall Council’s 2025 report Change It From Within (Victoria, Australia).