Intersectionality and Non-Reporting Behavior: Perceptions from Women of Color in Federal Law Enforcement

Abstract

Since the passage of the No FEAR Act of 2002, scholars across various disciplines have examined women’s reporting behavior toward sex-based discrimination. Most of the scholarship has concentrated on why women do not report sex-based discrimination, with this study being no exception. Missing, however, from this research is the intersectionality of race and gender, as most studies capture women as a homogeneous group without regard to race or ethnicity. Using a subsample of women who responded “yes” to having experienced sex-based discrimination (n = 550) in the workplace but chose not to report the unlawful behavior, this study employs a series of mean comparisons to differentiate women’s non-reporting behavior by race or ethnicity. The findings suggest women of color as a group, as well as African-American and Latina respondents by their respective minority race or ethnic subgroup, have differences in non-reporting behavior in comparison to White women. These findings are important because they illustrate a more accurate examination of women’s reporting behavior in the workplace.

Keywords

intersectionality sex-based discrimination reporting behavior women of color race ethnicity

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