Protecting employees from domestic and family violence

At Enmasse, we believe in creating safe and supportive workplaces for all. With the prevalence of domestic and family violence (DFV) in our communities, it's essential for employers and managers to recognise their role in protecting employees.

Recognising the signs: DFV can affect anyone, and it's crucial for all levels of management to recognise the signs that someone may be experiencing violence. These indicators may include:

• Lateness or absenteeism
• Drop in performance or productivity
• Appearing anxious and upset, with mood changes
• Reluctance to be at home
• Lack of access to money
• Partner's controlling behavior or presence during calls or meetings
• Physical signs such as bruising or injuries

Supporting and protecting employees: Employers and managers can take proactive steps to support and protect their employees:

• Acknowledge, reassure, and support employees who disclose they are experiencing violence at home.
• Ensure employees know there will be no adverse impact if they disclose their situation or are perpetrators of DFV.
• Provide a framework for a trauma informed conversation about DFV.
• Inform all employees about their entitlements to Family and domestic violence leave.
• Where possible, keep workplaces open for those who prefer to leave home for work.

Promoting gender equity: DFV is closely tied to gender inequality. Organisations need to address gender-based inequity and actively promote gender equity. This includes addressing assumptions and decisions that limit career development opportunities that disproportionately affect women.

Supporting perpetrators: We acknowledge that some employees may be perpetrators of DFV. Employers can explore ways to support these individuals while holding them accountable. Understanding where to refer perpetrators to specialist support agencies is important.

Education and training: Workplaces can make a difference by providing education and training on DFV. This includes raising awareness of both physical and non-physical forms of abuse and ensuring employees know where to seek support. Enmasse, as an approved training in this area under the White Ribbon Workplace accreditation framework, offers tools and resources to facilitate these conversations.

Alarming statistics:
In the UK:
1 in 5 adults experience domestic abuse during their lifetime, equating to 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6-7 men.
Last year, 2.4 million adults were victims (1.7 million women and 699,000 men).
The police recorded 1,500,369 domestic abuse-related incidents and crimes in England and Wales in the year ending March 2022, with a 7.7% increase from the previous year.
A domestic abuse-related call is made to the police every 30 seconds.

In Australia:
2 in 5 women (39%) have experienced violence since the age of 15.
Men are more commonly the perpetrators of physical violence, sexual harassment, and sexual violence.
On average, more than one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner. In October this year 5 women were killed in 10 days.
In the year 2021/22, 5606 women (average of 15 women/day) were hospitalised due to family and domestic violence.

The impact and cost:
In the UK, it is estimated that less than 24% of domestic abuse crime is reported to the police.
In Australia, intimate partner violence contributes to more death, disability, and illness in women aged 15 to 44 than any other preventable risk factor.
Violence against women in Australia is costing the nation $21.7 billion each year.
In the UK, the social and economic costs of DA are estimated at £66 billion in England and Wales in the year 2016-17. £14 billion of this is the cost to the economy arising from lost output due to time off work.

At Enmasse, we are committed to creating workplaces that prevent free from domestic and family violence. For more information about our training programs and resources, including webinars on understanding and preventing domestic and family violence, please visit our website https://enmasse2.com/ or email enquiries@enmasse2.com.

References: Trade Union Congress, 12 May 2023.
The Fawcett Society, 20 October 2023.
Home Office, "The Economic and Social Costs of Domestic Abuse."
Violence against women: Additional analysis of the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Personal Safety Survey 2016." Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2019.
Violence against women: Key statistics. - Australian Institute of Criminology.
Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia. - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2021.
Domestic Violence Statistics.- White Ribbon Australia.