Enough at Home Enough at Work

1. Enough at Home Enough at Work Family Violence and the Workplace

2. Sarah had been married for 8 years to Richard. Richard was very controlling and violent to Sarah. Sarah would often go to work sad and depressed. After noticing a large bruise on Sarah’s leg, one of her co-workers approached Sarah and asked her what was wrong. Sarah said that she was having trouble at home but didn’t go into any detail. Her work was affected as she had trouble concentrating. Richard would phone her at least five times every day to ‘check up on her’. Four weeks later Sarah’s work colleagues were told that there was an incident at home where Sarah had fallen down the steps and hit her head and died. Nobody was charged with the incident.

3. Objectives • To educate and raise awareness of the need for early intervention in situations where family violence may have an impact on the workplace; • To develop practical, flexible training tools that will help employers deal with the impact of family violence on the workplace; • To strengthen the relationship between business and community; • To promote practices, policies, and procedures that support victims of family violence in the workplace; • To help create safer and healthier work environments; • To support businesses in meeting their social responsibility to prevent family violence from spilling over into the workplace • To provide information on support services in the community

4. Meaning of Family Violence • Behaviour by a person towards a family member if that behaviour- • Is physically or sexually abusive (hitting, punching, kicking, sexual assault, damaging property) • Is emotionally or psychologically abusive (repeated derogatory taunts, threatening to expose a person’s sexual orientation, threatening to commit suicide or self-harm) • Iseconomically abusive (coercive or deceptive control that denies another person economic or financial autonomy)

5. Meaning continued • Is threatening (threatening to harm a pet in order to intimidate, preventing contact with other family members) • Is coercive • In any other way controls or dominates the family member and causes the family member to feel fear for the safety or wellbeing of that family member or another person • *reference: Family Violence Protection Act 2008

6. What is Family Violence • Abuse of power and control generally by men against women and children. • Happens in every culture, class, race and same sex relationship

7. Why is Family Violence and the Workplace Important to you • Family violence in the workplace costs approximately 484 million per year • Co-workers are usually the first to notice something is wrong • Family violence is one of the leading contributors of violence in the workplace (the perpetrator knows where to find the victim)

8. Impact of Family Violence • Family violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness for females between the ages of 15 and 45 years • 40 percent of all Homicides are Family Violence related

9. Effects on victims • Physical problems (injuries – homicide) • Suicide • Shock, fear & numbness • Denial & minimisation • Financial debt & social isolation • Depression, anxiety, anger • Low self-esteem *Reference: Victoria Police. Family Violence Protection Act 2008. Learning Package

10. Workplace Family Violence • Stalking (following to work, loitering around outside of work) • Harassing and/or abusive phone calls, e.mails, text messages • Physical violence to victim • Threats of violence to other staff members

11. Effects of Family Violence on the Workplace • Increase in staff turnover • Impact on employee morale • Decreased productivity • Increased absenteeism and illness • Increased risk to other employees • Increased use of workplace benefits (potentially resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue per year) • * reference: www.toolkitnb.ca

12. Women in Family Violence • A more disruptive work history • Lower personal income • Change jobs more frequently • Employed at higher levels in casual and part time work

13. Create a positive workplace • Create awareness – messages to employees, posters and pamphlets • Model respectful behaviour everywhere in the workplace (stop workplace bullying) • Boost employee morale and reduce stress

14. What Employers Can Do • Disseminate a statement that states your opposition to all acts of violence, including family violence, to all employees/supervisors/managers. • Post copies of the family violence policy, information posters and other media prominently in areas accessible to employees, customers and suppliers. • Provide information to all employees about services available, to help employees deal with any issues related to workplace or family violence.

15. Employment Policies • Seek to eliminate the potential for violence in and around the workplace by reviewing the workplace environment and minimizing, where possible, physical attributes which may expose employees to violent acts. • Provide reasonable means to consult with and assist victimized employees in developing and implementing individualized workplace safety plans • Enforce all known court orders, particularly orders telling the respondent to stay away from the work site. • Have an emergency security plan with procedures for contacting the police when employees observe anyone engaging in threatening behaviour. • Explore options for voluntary relocation of the victimized employee, escort for entry and exit of the building, and dealing with harassing telephone, email and faxes

16. Contacting Us Dianne Ashwell - Sergeant Family Violence Advisor – Region 1 Ph: 9247 3722 / 0414 181 359 E.mail: dianne.ashwell@police.vic.gov.au Gae Old –Salvation Army Manager – Ph: 9536 7735 E.mail: gaewynne.old@aus.salvationarmy.org

17. References • Pocock 2003 in Franzway. S., (2008) Framing Domestic Violence: It’s impact on women’s employment. Research Centre for Gender Studies. • Victoria Police – Family Violence Protection Act 2008. Learning package.