Adva is driving change to employer policies in organisations and agencies across Devon. The large public sector organisations in Devon (e.g. local authorities, police and health) employ between them over 35,000 staff. This means that at least 3,500 of Devon’s public sector staff are current victims of domestic violence and abuse.

Employers have a role and responsibility to safeguard their staff when they are in the workplace.

• What is domestic violence and abuse?
• Why is domestic violence and abuse any concern to an employer?
• What are the costs of domestic violence and abuse in the workplace?
• Domestic violence and abuse may affect other staff in the workplace
• What can you do as an employer to safeguard your staff in the workplace?
• As a member of staff what can I expect from my employer if I am experiencing domestic violence and abuse at home?
• As a Manager what should I do if I suspect a member of staff is being abused?
• What domestic violence and employer policies are there in Devon?
• As an Employer what is Devon County Council doing about domestic violence and abuse in the workplace?

Why is domestic violence and abuse any concern to an employer?

Domestic violence and abuse affects many employees. British Crime Survey data shows 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives. Devon County Council’s consultation (2004 and 2007) findings show that 1 in 10 respondents are current victims of domestic violence and abuse.  If employers calculate 10% of their workforce they will get a reliable approximate figure for the likely number of employees experiencing domestic violence and abuse.

Domestic violence is a security issue.

Employers who fail to protect their employees from violence (e.g. stalking and harassment via text, telephone, email and in person visits) at work may be liable. Post separation abuse and stalking are common features of an abusive relationship.

Employees who are abusers may use employers' resources such as telephone, email and company vehicles to make threats and stalk their victim.

The Costs of Domestic Violence and Abuse in the Workplace

Domestic violence is a performance and productivity concern.

Domestic violence and abuse not only impacts on employees' ability to provide and care for themselves and their families, but it also affects the financial strength and success of the organisations they work for.

The cost to businesses across the UK in terms of lost productivity, absenteeism, legal costs, medical costs and police costs is £2.72billion. Here in Devon the estimated annual cost of domestic violence and abuse to society is £60 million.

The effects of domestic violence and abuse are associated with many direct and indirect costs including:

• decreased productivity
• absenteeism
• errors
• increased employee turnover

In many cases the violence and abuse can spill out of the home and into the workplace.

• 56% of abused women arrive late for work at least 5 times a month
• 28% leave early at least 5 days a month
• 53% miss at least 3 days of work a month
• Once a person leaves an abusive partner they are especially vulnerable at work, as it may be the only place they can be located or harmed
• 75% of domestic abuse victims are targeted at work - from harassing phone calls and abusive partners arriving at the office unannounced, to physical assaults

Research shows that:

• 1 in 10 staff experience domestic abuse or violence in any one year
• 98% of domestic abuse survivors said that the abuse affected their ability to perform their work duties
• 87% of survivors said their abuser made harassing phone calls to them at work (some receiving between 50 and 100 a week).
  (Data from USA Corporate Alliance)
• The Cost of Domestic Violence: Up-date 2009 - research by Sylvia Walby (Lancaster University)

Domestic violence also affects other staff who may:

• Have to fill in for absent or non-productive colleagues
• Feel resentful of victims needing time off or receiving extra attention
• Try to “protect” victims from unwanted phone calls and visits
• Be completely unaware of how to intervene, often feeling helpless and distracted from their work
• Fear for their own safety
• Hear and/ or take part in gossip and rumours

What you can do as an employer to help safeguard your staff

Simple, low cost steps taken to address the effects on the workplace can prove highly beneficial in terms of productivity and staff retention.

• Introduce an employer policy on domestic violence and abuse (151KB - pdf help) .This should give a clear and positive statement of your commitment to supporting staff around this issue (link to dcc dva policy)
• Provide adva training for managers (see Training section for more details) to help them:
  • Understand the impact of domestic violence and abuse within the workplace
  • Look out for signs/symptoms
  • Know what type of proactive steps to take to safeguard staff who disclose
  • Know how to support staff
• Promote your organisation’s proactive ‘no tolerance’ stance to violence
  • Include domestic violence policy in staff inductions
  • Publicise the policy and procedures at departmental level
  • Be ‘open’ about the issue
• Provide leaflets and information to all staff on noticeboards, during staff meetings, as part of supervision and appraisals so staff know where to access specialist support
• Set up a Domestic Violence and Abuse Contact Scheme (DVAC)

As a member of staff what can I expect from my employer if I am experiencing domestic violence and abuse at home

Hearing the stories of survivors of domestic violence it is clear that some organisations provide good support which make an enormous difference to the safety and career of the victim; unfortunately other organisations can make a bad situation even worse.

If you are a suffering from domestic violence and abuse you may wish to raise this with your line manager in order to alert him/her to any reasons for ‘unusual’ performance. However, it is important to check first whether your employer has a policy on domestic violence and abuse to know how well supported you will be.

If your organisation has a domestic violence and abuse Employer Policy you may wish to understand what flexibility this might give you (e.g. how it will protect you from further contact by the perpetrator in the workplace; how you might be able to make appointments with solicitors/courts/GP in work hours and what support is available to you within the organisation and outside of it)

If your organisation does not have an Employer Policy it might be worth identifying external support services available to you.

As a Manager what should I do if I suspect a member of staff is being abused?

It may be that a member of your staff discloses to you that she/he is a victim of domestic abuse. This is a huge step for the victim to have taken, to have trusted you with such information. The best thing to do is listen, reassure and support the individual and respond in a sensitive and non judgemental manner.

If you have a policy within your organisation refer to it to ensure you follow organisational procedure.

Talk through issues that worry the individual and how your organisation might help protect them (e.g. remove their work telephone number from public access and allow flexible hours to manage necessary meetings with solicitors/court/GP).

Provide information about internal and external support services.

Keep a simple record, confidentially, on agreed actions (although in some circumstances this confidence may need to be broken in order to protect the safety of the individual. This will safeguard you and the member of staff should there be a future enquiry.

It may be that a member of staff has not disclosed domestic violence but you suspect things aren’t right at home, or colleagues have made comments. Take responsibility to enquire where concerned about personal homelife. It is useful to ‘routinely’ ask staff if there is anything happening at home that might be having a detrimental affect on them in the workplace. Build this into the ‘norm’ for supervisions, pointing out the organisation’s recognition that domestic violence affects high numbers including people in the workplace. Remember a victim will keep quiet for as many as 6 years before seeking help, sometimes feeling uncertain of what she/he is experiencing, or fearful that more problems will arise by sharing the information. An empathic, listening open approach from managers helps to encourage the victim to talk to you about such issues.

What domestic violence and employer policies are there in Devon?

There are a number of organisations in Devon which have Employer Domestic Violence and Abuse policies – i.e. policies about supporting staff who are experiencing domestic abuse.

It isn’t enough however to have a policy. Organisations need to train managers to know a) what domestic violence is and b) why and how if affects the workplace.

In addition publicity materials and regular awareness raising is necessary to create a culture of confidence in the organisation’s approach to the issue.

The following organisations in Devon have Employer domestic violence and abuse policies:

• East Devon District Council (39KB - pdf help)
• Devon County Council
• Devon Partnership Trust (92KB - pdf help)
• South Hams District Counci (111KB - pdf help)l
• Crown Prosecution Service (199KB - pdf help)
• Devon and Cornwall Probation Area (98KB - pdf help)

Useful information:

• Domestic Violence and Abuse Contact Scheme
• Devon County Council Consultation 2004 (87KB - pdf help)
• Summary of DCC 2004 Findings (110KB - pdf help)
• Devon County Council Consultation 2007 (112KB - pdf help)
• Summary of DCC 2007 Findings (88KB - pdf help)
• Leaflet for staff What kind of a welcome home will you be getting tonight (96KB - pdf help)
• Leaflet for Managers What you can do as an employer to help safeguard your staff (103KB - pdf help)
• Posters for supporting DVA support services in the workplace - Working Late? (179KB - pdf help) and What kind of a welcome home will you be getting tonight? (179KB - pdf help)
• Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence