Darrell
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Darrell is in his 40s. He is autistic and lives with chronic anxiety.
‘I suffered many challenges as a teen, which are more comprehensible in the light of my subsequent autism diagnosis,’ Darrell told the Royal Commission.
Darrell’s autism wasn’t diagnosed until he joined a government department and found ‘extreme difficulty in taking actions that fell out of a set routine’.
Darrell said, despite this difficulty, he performed highly at work until a manager bullied him for what he’s been told is his ‘interaction style and manner’.
‘She was very clear that my manner was a key part of her contempt for me, criticising factors like my “subtly negative body language”, and the fact that there was “something off about my manner”. I broke down relatively swiftly.’
Darrell said the manager manipulated where he worked and his job prospects, denying him transfers.
‘She acknowledged that she’d never supervised me, never worked with me … and that, I think, just shows how dangerous things get when you let people sloppily operate through social influence and informal power.’
Darrell objected, but nothing was done. He said the government department breached its own legislative requirements to treat him fairly.
The bullying increased Darrell’s anxiety and destroyed his relationships.
‘Every day going to work I sign up for torture because open plan offices are noisy. And I’m even cut off from certain forms of entertainment. There are characters in TV shows whose manner or a physical appearance remind me of key people involved in this, and it’s actually really upsetting to watch.’
Darrell said the department’s senior managers became aggressive towards him even though they knew he was ‘an ongoing suicide risk, had significant mental health issues’.
‘They still launch into me because that’s what they do.’
He said the public service, which should be a model for inclusion and fairness, isn’t.
‘It’s not just small businesses being dodgy. In big departments, in all sorts of other places, horrible stuff does happen to people.’
Darrell now works for another government organisation.
‘It’s been a much better place to work. So, workwise, everything is going well. It’s just, obviously, the personal and symptomatic issues have never resolved. And years on, honestly, my prospects aren’t that great or improving noticeably anymore.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.