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Family violence during the pandemic: managing the risks from afar

As workplaces shift gear to ensure staff working from home stay connected and productive throughout the new normal, managing the safety and wellbeing of people remotely is proving to be a multilayered challenge. Of increasing concern is the risk of domestic and family violence.

We know from recent data that among the wide-ranging consequences of the covid-19 pandemic is the disproportionate impact the crisis is having on women.

Women have suffered greater job loss and are bearing a greater burden of the caring roles for both the very young and elderly.1 Greater financial stress for families and increased stressors of lockdown and working from home have resulted in an increase in people accessing domestic and family violence (DFV) support services both here in Australia and globally.

Helplines in China are reporting three times more calls than previously and other increases reported are 18 percent more calls in Spain, 25 percent increase in the UK and police in France have reported a 30 percent increase in callouts for DFV.2

Here in Australia, 1800RESPECT has reported an increase in calls of 28 percent over an 8-week period, April to June. Critically, it has been reported that 27 women have been killed violently so far in Australia (up to 1 July 2020), 18 since lockdown restrictions began.3

Community organisations and government have recognised the increased risks during lockdown with the Commonwealth Government announcing a $150 million package to help people experiencing DFV during the crisis.4 Our Watch recently relaunched their awareness campaign “No Excuse for Abuse” with a series of videos focusing on non-physical forms of abuse.

The role of the workplace

The workplace can be a safe haven for people experiencing DFV. Lockdowns due to the current crisis have meant this safe space is no longer available for many and people are at greater risk of violence in the home with fewer options for escape.

Being confined to home, either due to working from home requirements during lockdown or loss of job, increases the risk from perpetrators who may also be confined to home for the same reasons. Increased financial pressures along with greater caring duties with school and childcare closures can create a dangerous situation. While these increased stressors may be contributing to an increase in DFV, they are not and must never be used as an excuse for violence.

Richard Deutsch, CEO of Deloitte Australia, recently commented that organisations who had flexible working policies already in place were in a strong position to deal with the challenges presented by the crisis. Deloitte, for example, have flexible work practices to allow people to work from the office or at home when they choose and have kept their offices open during the crisis.5

What employers and managers can do

Employers are obligated under workplace safety legislation to provide a safe work environment whether it be in the workplace or for employees working from home and are liable if injury or death happens during the course of employment.6 Ensuring employees are safe from DFV is complex but there are steps employers can take to protect those at risk of violence.

First, it’s important at all levels of management to be able to recognise the signs that someone may be experiencing violence.

These are some indicators that someone may be at risk:

  • lateness or absenteeism
  • drop in performance or productivity
  • appearing anxious and upset, change in mood
  • reluctance to be at home
  • lack of access to money
  • partner ridiculing them, wanting them to leave their job, hovering or present when on calls or in meetings
  • going quiet when partner enters room
  • physical signs – bruising/injuries, not using video, long sleeves in warm weather.

There are several steps employers and managers can take to support and protect their employees:

  • acknowledging, reassuring and supporting an employee who discloses they are experiencing violence in the home
  • ensuring employees are aware there will be no adverse impact if they disclose they are at risk of DFV or are perpetrators of DFV
  • providing employees with a framework for a low-risk conversation with someone who discloses they are experiencing violence at home
  • ensuring all employees are aware of their entitlements to Family and Domestic Violence leave (offered under Fair Work provisions7) and are given access to it
  • keeping offices and workplaces open for those who prefer to leave home for work.

It is acknowledged that a major driver of DFV is gender inequality. More broadly, organisations need to address any inequity in job losses and stand-downs where women have been more adversely affected and actively promote gender equity.

With the prevalence of DFV in the community, employers must acknowledge they will have perpetrators on their staff. Careful consideration must be given to how employers can support perpetrators as well. Employers can also implement gender-neutral family leave policies.

Workplaces can provide education and training in DFV, raising awareness and understanding of both physical and non-physical forms of abuse, and ensuring employees know where to go for support. En Masse is an approved provider of training in this area under the White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation framework and has tools to enable staff to have low-risk conversations about DFV.

Where to go for support

For immediate support the following helplines are available:

For further information and resources:

For manager and all staff targeted training programs and resources, including webinars, on understanding and preventing domestic and family violence:

References

  1. United Nations Secretary-General (2020). Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Women [report]. [retrieved from https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/04/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women]
  2. Neilson K (2019). There’s more than one way that COVID-19 will threaten lives. The Australian HR Institute. [retrieved from https://www.hrmonline.com.au/covid-19/more-than-one-way-covid-19-threaten-lives/]
  3. Destroy the Joint [Facebook community] (2020). Counting Dead Women Australia 2020. [retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/notes/destroy-the-joint/counting-dead-women-australia-2020-we-count-every-known-death-due-to-violence-ag/2815333238514402/]
  4. Michael L (2020). Government boosts support for mental health and domestic violence services. Pro Bono Australia. [retrieved from https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2020/04/government-boosts-support-for-mental-health-and-domestic-violence-services/]
  5. Morrison D, Annese L, Kinnersley P, Carey I, Deutsch R (2020). Webinar on understanding and responding to domestic violence during covid-19 [webinar]. Diversity Council of Australia. [retrieved from https://www.dca.org.au/event/379 extracted 6 July 2020]
  6. Diemar E, Dorney G (2020). Employer liability: family and domestic violence as a working-from-home risk. The Australian HR Institute. [retrieved from: https://www.hrmonline.com.au/employment-law/family-domestic-violence-working-from-home/]
  7. Family and domestic violence leave. Fair Work Ombudsman. [retrieved 16 July 2020 from https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/family-and-domestic-violence-leave]

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