Workplaces need to do more to support victims of domestic and family violence.
That’s the message coming from some of the most prominent business leaders in Australia.
The Male Champions of Change, a group of business leaders including Qantas’ Alan Joyce, Treasury Secretary Martin Parkinson and former chief of Army Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO, recently released a report that called on Australian business to step up.
The report asks businesses to change their culture to help staff struggling with domestic and family violence.
That could mean talking about the impact of domestic violence, creating a workplace culture where people feel comfortable coming forward about problems at home, and providing leave for staff who are affected by violence in their homes.
“Economic factors are the most significant predictor of whether a woman experiencing domestic violence remains, escapes or returns to an abusive relationship. Our workplaces assist in providing the economic independence that supports women’s choices,” the report says.
“Furthermore, perpetrators often make use of work resources (such as email and phone) to carry out their abuse. Workplaces can ensure that this is not tolerated.”
It also argues that workplaces cannot afford to ignore violence at home, just because it isn’t always visible.
“Given the prevalence and cost of violence and our ability to make a difference, we are not prepared to dismiss domestic and family violence as a personal matter, outside our interest.
“We believe organisations can play a significant role when they have a robust response – thought through, leader-led, implemented strongly and not left to chance,” it says.
Former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick is chair of Male Champions of Change.
Launching the report, which is aimed at other business leaders in Australia and around the world, Broderick said the report was “the first time a group of leaders – including some of the nation’s most powerful business leaders – have come together to acknowledge domestic violence as a workplace issue”.
“After learning from experts, they are committed to taking practical action to reduce the prevalence and impact of such violence, and to sharing what they have learned,” she said.
Supporting domestic and family violence victims would help Australia on the path to gender equality, the report says.
“Gender inequality is both a cause and consequence of domestic violence. We realise now that we can’t champion gender balanced leadership, without addressing domestic and family violence, whose victims are overwhelmingly women.”
According to Male Champions for Change, 1.4 million Australian women are currently or have previously been living in an abusive relationship.
800,000 of those women are workforce, and it is economic factors that determine whether a woman stays in an abusive relationship.
KPMG, who produced the report, estimate that domestic and family violence will cost Australian businesses $609 million a year by 2021.
Top Comments
I completely and utterly disagree with this. Why?
Well I think domestic violence is a crime and one that should be severely punished, and one that law courts are way too soft on, there are not enough resources for women who have suffered domestic violence and the list goes on.
But instead of making the organisations that should be accountable, governments, law courts, police etc to actually do something about it, instead we are going to make it an employer's responsibility!
What next should employer's be keeping a look out for murderers and rapists too?
I'm surprised we aren't getting school teachers to look out for potential future DV perpetrators because usually it's schools that are supposed to fix every evil under the sun!
If the legal system/govt was actually doing their job then there would be no need for employers to 'pick up the slack'!
No one is arguing that employers should be combating domestic violence in isolation of the courts and support systems. The article is about creating a workplace culture that allows victims to access those other support avenues.
Domestic violence does have an impact on workplace productivity and health and safety, and it would be unwise for employers to bury their heads in the sand about it. Small measures such as providing leave so a person can escape a violent relationship without also worrying about losing their job can make a big difference in the life of the victim.
What this is suggesting is for business to take on the financial burden of providing paid leave for victims, when in fact the government should be providing the support.
There is a big push for business to foot the bill for at least 3-4 weeks additional DV leave (on top of personal/annual leave, however, unless you're a big corporation, this simply is not affordable to small business. We are not bad people, but there are limits to what we are physically and financially available to do.
Since when is it everyone else's responsibility to supply services that should be provided by our taxes (i.e. Government)?
But how much support is an employer expected to give? Does the employer then become responsible (both legally and financially) for the woman's well-being in the work place? If a woman needs time off to get her life sorted out that is understandable, but many women stay in abusive relationships or return to them (for whatever reasons).