AUSTRALIAN SURVEY REVEALS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONTINUES INTO THE WORKPLACE

The first national survey into domestic violence and its impact on the workplace has been released today unveiling the extent of domestic violence in Australia continuing outside of the home and into the workplace.  The survey reveals that one in five people reported the abuse continuing while they were at work.

Full survey results here 

Key Findings summary here

The survey entitled, ‘Safe at Home, Safe at Work?’ National Domestic Violence and The Workplace Survey, was launched today, in Melbourne, by ACTU National President, Ged Kearney.

The survey results confirm that domestic violence affects the capacity for people to get to work, their performance and productivity at work, and that their safety, and those of their co-workers, is also threatened within the workplace.

Nearly a third of the 3600 respondents, 30%, had personally experienced domestic violence, with half of those reporting that the violence affected their capacity to get to work. The reasons given included being physically injured or restrained, keys being hidden and failure of childcare arrangements by the other parent.

The major form the domestic violence took in the workplace was abusive phone calls and emails, and the partner physically coming to work. The main reported impacts  were being distracted, tired or unwell, needing to take time off, or being late for work.

The survey was undertaken as part of the Domestic Violence Workplace Rights and Entitlements Project, through the Centre for Gender Related Violence Studies at the University of New South Wales. The project is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.  The research was undertaken by Micromax Research.

Ludo McFerran, for the Domestic Violence Workplace Rights and Entitlements Project, said today, “The survey shows that in Australia, as in other countries, domestic violence impacts on productivity and safety. Having a job and staying economically independent is critical to surviving a violent relationship. The workplace is a key part of the support system for women and men experiencing violence at home. Australia doesn’t tolerate violence in the home, and shouldn’t tolerate domestic violence when it spills over into the workplace’.

It is estimated that domestic violence currently affects one in three Australian women in their lifetime and that the annual cost of lost productivity due to domestic violence for Australian businesses in 2002-03 was $484 million. (Access Economics – 2004)
“Based on the results of the survey, we are encouraging employers and unions to introduce domestic violence provisions in enterprise agreements and awards.  Existing domestic violence clauses provide up to 20 days paid domestic violence leave to attend to matters such as attending court for a protection order. Our goal is to reduce the impact of domestic violence by supporting the victims to stay safely in their homes and in their jobs” she added.
The feedback from unions who have negotiated the domestic violence clauses is that small amounts of paid leave have been used for urgent matters and are strongly supported by the union membership. Survey respondents gave overwhelming support to the need for domestic violence entitlements:

All respondents thought that domestic violence can impact on the work lives of employees (100%) and a high percentage (78%) believed that workplace entitlements could reduce the impact of domestic violence in the workplace.


Available for Interview

•    National Spokesperson: Ludo McFerran – Project Officer – Domestic Violence Workplace Rights and Entitlements Project
•    NSW:  Anne Kennelly, Public Service Association (PSA) Women’s Industrial Officer
•    Qld: Kath Nelson, Branch Secretary, ASU  
•    Vic: Lisa Darmanin, Assistant Branch Secretary, Australian Services Union
•    WA:  Angela Hartwig, Chief Executive Officer, Women's Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services
•    Tas: Roz Madsen, Industrial/Women's Officer, Australian Education Union
•    SA: Janet Giles, Secretary, SA Unions

For more information about the Domestic Violence Workplace Rights and Entitlements project, go to
http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/dv_workplace_rights_entitlements_project.htm

The full survey paper and key findings are attached with this email. Both of these are also embargoed until 12.01am Monday 5th December, 2011.

ENDS

Media Enquiries – Libby Fordham on 0411 473 938


NOTES TO EDITORS
The Domestic Violence Workplace Rights and Entitlements Project is a project of the Centre for Gender Related Violence Studies at the UNSW, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
The slogan of the Project is ‘Safe at Home, Safe at Work’, reflecting the goal of reducing the impact on working people experiencing domestic violence by supporting them to stay safely in their jobs and consequently in their homes.

The objectives of the Project are to promote the introduction of domestic violence clauses nationally by:

•    Briefing a broad range of unions and employers on the issue of domestic violence as a workplace issue, the adoption of domestic violence provisions in enterprise agreements and other workplace instruments.
•    Developing with unions and employers a set of model workplace information and training resources for general staff, human resources personnel, union delegates and supervisors.
•    Producing model policies and safety plans to assist in the informed introduction of domestic and family violence clauses.