It’s Time for Employers to Back Domestic Violence Victims and Stand Up to Abusers
Employers are starting to take domestic violence seriously. In November, the federal government’s workplace gender equality agency released its 2015 gender equality scorecard (pdf). One of the findings that stands out was that employers are increasingly acknowledging their role in supporting employees experiencing domestic violence. Almost 35% of Australian organisations now have a domestic violence policy or strategy.
It’s high time. Australia is experiencing a domestic violence epidemic. In 2014 figures showed that a woman in Australia is more likely to be killed in her own home by her male partner than by anyone else.
Research indicates intimate partner violence to be the leading preventable cause of death for women aged between 15 and 44. There are undoubtedly male victims, but domestic violence is overwhelming experienced by women.
Fortunately where it was once considered a private matter, advocates like Rosie Batty have worked tirelessly to shatter this silence and momentum appears to be mounting to force domestic violence out into the open and fundamentally change community attitudes.
More: It’s time for employers to back domestic violence victims and stand up to abusers