Addressing Domestic & Family Violence as a Workplace Issue

Trigger warning: This article mentions domestic violence. If you or somebody you know is in need of support you can contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

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This month is Domestic & Family Violence Prevention month. We recently spoke with Ganga Karen Ashworth & Marcia Friend from the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre (IWHC) about the vital role businesses play in addressing Domestic & Family Violence (DFV) as a critical issue within and beyond the workplace.

Ganga & Marcia noted that both public and government responses to the recent national surge in gendered violence show that Australians are now grappling with the fact that DFV is a “whole of society problem” that “has always been there”. The Australian Institute of Criminology recently reported an alarming 28% increase in the number of women who were killed by an intimate partner in 2022-23 compared to the prior year. Additionally, reporting by The ABC & The Sydney Morning Herald found that by the end of April this year, at least 28 women had been killed as a result of gender-based violence, at an average rate of 1 death every 4 days.

Frontline services like IWHC are struggling to keep pace with the overwhelming demand for support from people experiencing violence, said Ganga & Marcia – even as governments have allocated additional funding to tackle DFV as a “national crisis”. They argue that businesses can help to shoulder the collective burden of meeting this need by creating pathways to support for people in the workplace that are experiencing DFV.

Domestic & Family Violence is a workplace issue

Workplaces exist within and are a reflection of existing social structures and attitudes, and businesses are increasingly becoming aware that DFV is not a ‘private’ issue that can be separated from the workplace. DFV crosses demographic and geographic lines to affect people across society – the overwhelming majority of whom are women that are actively engaged in the workforce. According to findings from the ABS, 1 in 5 (or 20%) of Australian adults in 2021-22 had experienced DFV since the age of 15, and at least 70% of women that experienced intimate partner violence were actively employed.

Reports from victim-survivors have shown how experiences of violence can enter the workplace – whether through psychological abuse, or unsolicited phone calls and visits from perpetrators. Studies have also shown that “between one-third to 78% of people who use domestic violence have done so using workplace resources, during work hours” – whether through technology or access to privileged information.

Ganga & Marcia highlighted that signs and acts of violence come in many forms, and are not always physical or immediately apparent. Their impacts on workplaces however are tangible, complex and far-reaching – at both the individual and organisational level. Ganga & Marcia noted that experiences of violence and associated trauma can have a profoundly detrimental impact on the health, well-being, interpersonal function and performance of individuals in the workplace. They also referred to studies that have shown that violence often directly impacts the capacity of victims to travel to and remain at work.

At the organisational level, instances of DFV can contribute to absenteeism & presenteeism, and negatively affect staff retention, morale & productivity. Recent research by KPMG showed an estimated ~$2 Billion cost to business productivity in 2015-16 alone.

How should Businesses respond?

Ganga & Marcia stressed that it is the responsibility of all businesses to protect the health & well-being of individuals within the workplace. They noted that organisations can do this by being “responsive to what’s happening in society” – recognising that DFV will likely impact their workplace, and proactively developing policies to identify & respond to it. They also highlighted several key considerations that should guide businesses in this task:

Awareness

• Not only do factors like existing structural gender inequality, stigma and victim blaming present barriers for people experiencing violence to report and access support – they can also contribute to and exacerbate the conditions of DFV.
  
  Ganga & Marcia noted that many workplaces can potentially contain both victims and perpetrators, and some may be unaware that their behaviours or experiences may constitute abuse. They said that businesses need to clearly establish that “abuse and violence is unacceptable”, and work to increase awareness of the behaviours and attitudes that contribute to DFV across all levels of their business.

Training

• Businesses should provide regular education and training to staff at all levels, whether internally or in partnership with a reputable external provider, on how to identify and respond appropriately to signs and instances of violence in the workplace. 
  
  Ganga & Marcia noted that “the role of colleagues/managers is not to be a counsellor or DFV specialist” – but rather, to listen to and allow space for people experiencing violence to voice their concerns in confidence, and to refer them to specialist services where appropriate.

Support

• It is vital that businesses develop and regularly review policies that respond to DFV in direct consultation with those who have or may be experiencing violence. 
  
  Ganga & Marcia emphasised these policies should prioritise individual needs, privacy, and above all – safety. They also argue that alongside understanding their legal obligations to people experiencing DFV under WHS & the Fair Work Act, businesses should also recognise that failure to address violence in an appropriate and confidential way can compound the harms experienced by victim survivors. “The priority has to be safety”, and, “recognising that the individual themselves will always have the best understanding of their circumstances” they said.

These considerations echo the position of other advocacy groups like OurWatch, who argue that employers “should aim to model equality and respect” in every area of the workplace, and address the underlying factors that contribute to the perpetuation of gendered violence. In doing this, businesses can help to create workplace cultures where people feel comfortable to express their concerns in confidence, and are met with sensitivity and compassion. Not only can this lead to improved productivity & outcomes for businesses – it also allows them to play a role in supporting the work of frontline services, by increasing access to support for people in their workplace that are experiencing violence.

At Zenith HR, we are mindful of the complexities of navigating and proactively addressing Domestic & Family Violence in the workplace with compassion & sensitivity. A number of reliable resources are available for employers who would like to understand more about how to respond effectively to DFV in their workplace, a few of which we have linked to below.

If you’d like to hear more about the important work Marcia & Ganga are doing with the IWHC and local businesses through the ‘Workplaces for Change’ initiative, you can find more information and contact details here.

If you would like support in developing a comprehensive HR strategy for addressing and responding to DFV in your workplace, contact us today. We can help you develop a set of policies and processes catered to the specific needs of your business and staff, that will help you to meet your legal obligations – and to create a safe and supportive workplace in which your people can thrive.

Resources

Workplace Gender Equality Agency:
https://www.wgea.gov.au/take-action/family-domestic-violence

Fair Work Ombudsman – Small business employer guide to family and domestic violence:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/family-and-domestic-violence-leave/employer-guide-to-family-and-domestic-violence

Safe Work Australia – Family & Domestic Violence at Work – Information Sheet:
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/family-and-domestic-violence-work-information-sheet

Australian Human Rights Council – Domestic and family violence, ‘a workplace issue, a discrimination issue’ Factsheet:
https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/DV-as-a-workplace-issue-factsheet.pdf

OurWatch – Workplace Equality and Respect:
https://workplace.ourwatch.org.au/