Why is Domestic and Family Violence a workplace issue?
[Michael Salter: Associate Professor of Criminology, School of Social Sciences, University of NSW]
Domestic violence experiences are really diverse. You can have relationships where violence and aggression is overt, people are noticing it, the victim might be talking about it, the perpetrator might be taking about it, and so in a workplace context there may be many opportunities for colleagues and for managers to observe that there’s something wrong in that relationship. But domestic violence can be quite secretive, it can be quite covert. There’s a lot of shame associated with domestic violence and so victims might be keeping it secret from their managers and of course perpetrators are doing a lot of work not to be detected as well.
[Matt Pronger: Programs Manager, Australia’s CEO Challenge]
Across Australia one in four women and one in thirteen men will experience some form of domestic and family violence in their lifetime. Now the research around that is suggesting it’s about two thirds of women who experience domestic and family violence are in the workforce, the vast majority are there and then we’re assuming then there’s a lot of people in the workforce who are using forms of violent and abusive behaviour, so it is a workplace issue. It’s an issue for our wellbeing of our staff, the safety of our staff and the performance around our staff as well. And often depending on the work that you do, possibly risk to your sites as well.
[Michael Salter: Associate Professor of Criminology, School of Social Sciences, University of NSW]
About one in six Australian female workers has experienced domestic violence or is experiencing domestic violence in their current relationship and they’re at work and it impacts on our work in a number of ways. Particularly around productivity because they are coping with quite a lot so it can affect productivity. It means they need to take more time sometimes to come to work, they may need to leave. They can be experiencing domestic violence at work if the partner is harassing them, emailing them, calling them or showing up to work. So we have domestic violence victim survivors at work, we also have domestic violence happening at work and it stands to reason, of course, that some of our male employees in the workplace are going to be perpetrators of domestic violence and they may in fact be perpetrating domestic violence from the workplace and that’s something we need to keep in mind.
[Jan Breckenridge: Professor and Head of School of Social Sciences
Co-Convenor of Gendered Violence Research Network
University of NSW, Sydney]
Recently we surveyed around 3600 workers about their experiences of domestic and family violence, and we found that roughly a third, or 1200, had experienced domestic and family violence at some point in their life and they were able to discuss really important effects on the workplace. For example, being late to work because the perpetrator wouldn’t allow them to leave, hid their keys or wouldn’t accept child care responsibilities. Having their work product ruined and just the general stress and trauma of being victimised and harassed means that sometimes people just; we call it presenteeism where they’re there, but they’re not there. So, their work isn’t actually up to the standard it needs to be to maintain their employment. But for some people who experience domestic and family violence, work is an absolute haven. It doesn’t affect work, and in fact, they might come in early and leave late, which is about their safety, or it could be just it’s the one place they feel competent, confident and able to function really well.
[Michael Salter: Associate Professor of Criminology, School of Social Sciences, University of NSW]
Workplaces are important areas where people socialise, where cultures are reproduced. So a sexist workplace is a workplace that reinforces norms and attitudes that can drive domestic violence but a healthy workplace culture can also help prevent domestic violence.
[Jan Breckenridge: Professor and Head of School of Social Sciences
Co-Convenor of Gendered Violence Research Network
University of NSW, Sydney]
I really encourage workplaces to recognise how important it is to keep people in their employment. I can’t stress enough how crucial that is for someone who might want to leave a domestic and family violence relationship and may want to re-build their life. Employment can be everything.
