New Zealand has passed a law giving domestic violence survivors paid leave – our government must now do the same

Financial concerns are a major barrier to survivors leaving an abusive partner. A change to the law would help give them the security and support they need to leave their abusive partner, find a new home and protect themselves and their children

Our government is currently drafting legislation for their Domestic Abuse Bill. This legislation is an opportunity for the government to consider how they can change employers’ response to domestic violence (iStock)

Today, New Zealand has taken a big step forward by being the second country in the world (the first was the Philippines) to grant victims of domestic abuse an additional ten days paid leave from work each year. From our work with survivors, we at Women’s Aid know that many women lose their job as a result of their experience of domestic abuse or when they are forced to flee their homes. Domestic abuse has devastating consequences and the loss of employment is another barrier to rebuilding a life free from abuse. We hope that this momentous legislation will mark a change with other countries, including our own, taking positive steps to do more to support survivors to stay in work.

Women from all walks of life experience domestic abuse. Whether on a zero-hours contract or full-time in a high-paid profession, domestic abuse can have a devastating impact on any woman's employment; and some women lose their job as a result of the abuse. The fear of losing financial security can also prevent a woman from seeking help or disclosing the abuse to her employer or colleagues.

Far too often survivors do not speak out about the abuse for fear that they will not be believed or supported. Yet abusers can use the victim’s work as a means of controlling them, by threatening to or making it difficult for them to effectively carry out their job and even taking their earnings.

Recent research into the response to domestic abuse in the workplace, commissioned by the Vodafone Foundation, found that of the organisations who had an employee disclose domestic abuse, 16 per cent said that the domestic abuse had caused an employee to leave the organisation. The devastating impact of domestic abuse on survivors, both physical and psychological, may also have a negative side effect on them carrying out their work to their usual ability or even result in unexplained lateness or absenteeism if they aren’t comfortable discussing the real reason. That’s why survivors must be supported at work to speak out about the abuse and be safe in the knowledge that their job is secure and that they will be supported.

Often a survivor’s place of work might be the only space where they can get help. Their job might be what sustains them psychologically, but we also know that it can often be the only space away from the abuser to speak out safely to someone about the abuse and get the vital support they need. It is really important that employers give the right response to employees who are experiencing domestic abuse. Recently, we supported the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse in their production of a toolkit on best practice for employers to help them support staff who may be experiencing domestic abuse, and give them tools to provide safely and effective support.

The gaps in employers’ policy, practice and understanding are huge. The research commissioned by the Vodafone Foundation discovered that currently only five per cent of organisations have specific policy or guidelines in place on domestic abuse and that in medium and large organisations there was an average of less than one disclosure over the previous 12 months. An estimated 1.2 million women experienced domestic abuse last year in England and Wales. It is therefore highly likely that someone you work with has experienced domestic abuse. Yet it is clear that not enough is being done by employers to let survivors know that they will be supported at work.

That’s why we see the landmark decision in New Zealand to grant victims of domestic abuse an additional ten days paid leave from work each year, as leading the way in ensuring survivors are supported at work. Our government is currently drafting legislation for their Domestic Abuse Bill which aims to transform the response to domestic abuse. We see this legislation as an opportunity for the government to consider how they can change employers’ response to domestic abuse and provide support for survivors.

We know that financial concerns are a major barrier to survivors leaving an abusive partner; legislating for survivors to be able to access additional paid leave is one initiative that would make a real difference to their lives. It would help give them the security and support they need to leave their abusive partner, find a new home and protect themselves and their children.

But we also need to see employers taking proactive steps to support survivors. We know that a good response from an employer can transform a survivor’s life. That’s why we want to see all employers adopt an understanding and flexible approach to supporting survivors at work according to their needs. Whether it is transferring them to another office location to keep them safe at work, paying their wage into a bank account that the abuser cannot access or giving them time off to move home and attend appointments.

Employers need to have a robust and comprehensive domestic abuse policy in place but also ensure that it is put into practice. By providing training on domestic abuse co-delivered by specialists like Women’s Aid for HR, managers and staff, employers can ensure that whoever a survivor speaks out to for help they will get the support they need, when and where they need it.

By working with the government and employers to transform the response to domestic abuse in the workplace, we can send out a powerful message to survivors that they will be listened to, believed and supported at work. Together, we can give women the confidence to speak out about abuse and seek support at work when taking the brave step to leave an abusive partner and rebuild their lives free from abuse.

Katie Ghose is the chief executive of Women’s Aid