Addressing Domestic Abuse in the Workplace
No matter the size or nature of your business or organisation, being prepared to support your employees with issues surrounding domestic abuse not only displays good corporate social responsibility, it’s also good business sense.
There’s lots of things organisations can do to address domestic abuse. Read on for our suggestions and information on how to get started.
Assess your organisation’s needs
Answer some simple questions to quickly identify the best ways for you to improve your support for employees experiencing domestic abuse.
Present the case for a workplace response to domestic abuse
Domestic abuse is a complex topic and knowing how or why it’s important to address it as a workplace issue can be a difficult task. You can use our handy PDF infographic to introduce the issue to relevant colleagues.
Arrange specialist training
Training is available to ensure that your organisation has staff that fully understand the complexities of domestic abuse, know how to respond to employees experiencing abuse, and are able to guide next steps in embedding domestic abuse policies and procedures in your organisation.
Guidance for HR Professionals: Understanding and Responding to Domestic Violence and Abuse.
Equation has a strong reputation locally for training frontline professionals and practitioners to improve the local response to domestic abuse. Using existing expertise in both training and domestic abuse best practice, Equation has now developed a bespoke in-house training session for local businesses.
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the different aspects of domestic violence and abuse, including coercive control
- Uncover the myths and stereotypes about domestic abuse
- Develop your ability to recognise that domestic abuse is happening
- Explore how perpetrators may use the working environment as part of their abuse
- Increase your understanding of the experience and impact of living with domestic abuse, including for children
- Possible impacts of living with domestic abuse on an employee and your business
- Examine the reasons why people stay and return to abusive relationships
- Communication skills, including asking about domestic violence
Local Safety and Signposting resources:
Ensure survivors of domestic abuse in your workplace know where to go for local and specialist support. Equation provides clear, discreet information cards and posters providing essential support and safety information for survivors. These resources include key contact information for specialist local services, and things to consider if someone is planning to leave an abusive relationship. They’re available free of charge (excluding postage costs). We can also provide posters that raise awareness of domestic abuse and local helplines.
Equation’s website hosts a local directory of all domestic abuse services available to survivors, a useful reference point to share with your employees and keep on your intranet.
Consultation
Equation wants to support local businesses in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to adopt positive responses to domestic abuse, by getting a snapshot of what level of response is currently in place, and finding out what would be useful to managers and HR teams. To do this we’re offering free consultations with local businesses. Please get in touch if you’d like any additional information around this.
Develop a domestic abuse policy
Developing domestic abuse policies and procedures can be a daunting task without thorough knowledge of the issue. This handy guide from the Equality and Human Rights Commission has some helpful pointers, including a policy checklist.
Charity Partnerships
Partnering with a local or national domestic abuse charity is not only a great way to give back to your community, it’s also a way of raising awareness around domestic abuse and related issues within your workplace. There are a number of domestic abuse charities operating locally you could consider. You can find out more about Equation’s corporate support opportunities in our Get Involved section.
How you can help
No matter how much time, money or resources you can afford to give, your support will make a difference.
£10
Give monthly
Could pay for four children
to take part in our early intervention projects
£30
Give once
Could pay for one primary school child to receive our healthy relationship education program
Support equation
Check out the other ways you can support us