Intimate partner violence: what can employers do, and how can governments encourage an effective workplace approach?

This blog is based on the recent publication Supports th(at) work: policy tools to support workplace action on intimate partner violence (IPV). You can read the full publication here: https://doi.org/10.1787/343cff04-en. 

If you’ve worked with more than three women, then – at least statistically – it’s likely that one of them has experienced physical or sexual violence (or will, in their lifetime).

The figures are truly heartbreaking. An estimated one in three women globally experience physical or sexual violence by a partner in their lifetime, or sexual violence by someone who isn’t their partner.

Across the OECD, on average almost one in four women (23%) report experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their life. Given significant underreporting, the real number is likely to be higher. 

Violence against women (VAW) is the top gender equality priority reported by OECD governments, and there has been a significant increase in the prioritisation of VAW in recent years: 87% of OECD countries now list VAW as one of their top three most pressing gender equality priorities, up from 68% in 2016. And for good reason. Experiences of violence can seriously damage people’s health, safety and security, as well as their housing, employment and economic outcomes.

It’s costing businesses and societies, too. The European Institute for Gender Equality put the economic cost of VAW in the EU-27 alone at more than 290 billion euros in 2019, including substantial costs driven by lost productivity and time away from work. 

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most pervasive forms of VAW, and it can significantly affect workers’ ability to participate in, thrive, and advance at work. National and company-level surveys covering OECD countries commonly find that most victim-survivors of intimate partner and domestic violence (between 55-84%) report at least some workplace impacts, such as difficulties getting to work, focusing on work, or advancing at work.

And of course, it can necessitate time away from work. Dealing with the impacts of abuse can feel like a full-time job in and of itself, let alone trying to deal with them on work time.

Previous OECD work has shown that the service response to IPV is often disjointed, leaving victim-survivors to repeat their stories many times over to get the support they need. 

Employers play an important role within broader societal efforts to end IPV, and the good news is that effective workplace supports can make a difference. They can help raise awareness of IPV, improve willingness to act where employees experience IPV, and could help to support job retention, at least in the short term.

There are impressive examples of employer actions to address IPV, often focused on measures to identify and respond appropriately to signs of abuse, and to connect victim-survivors with support. This typically involves employers developing their policies, processes and people, and setting up workplace flexibility and support structures that can help keep workers safe and employed.

Some companies are facilitating housing or counselling for affected workers, for example, while others have promoted prevention by connecting people who may use violence with accredited behaviour change programmes that could help to prevent it.

Partnerships are important: collaboration with victim-survivors and specialist organisations can help shape effective responses, and workers’ representatives have helped to raise awareness of IPV and secure workplace entitlements and action in some countries. 

Governments, too, are recognising the impact of IPV in the workplace. Several OECD countries have extended dedicated entitlements to affected workers, including employment protections, entitlements to flexible working arrangements for victim-survivors, and domestic violence leave entitlements.

Leave related to domestic violence is a relatively recent policy development. No less than six OECD countries now have national paid domestic violence leave entitlements for at least a subset of the population, though the length of the leave, who can access it and how it works varies across countries.

The long-term impact of this type of leave remains to be seen, but limited early evaluation points to meaningful benefits, including the potential to support job retention and reduce the stigma surrounding IPV.

In addition to entitlements for workers, some governments are also supporting and incentivising private companies to take action by providing guidance to employers, clarifying employers’ responsibilities, recognising good practice, and bringing greater transparency to what employers are doing.

For example, Ireland has developed a policy template and guidance note for employers, France and Peru have launched voluntary good practice certification schemes for companies, while Australia has integrated questions on workplace domestic and family violence supports into its pay gap reporting scheme, with such support publicly listed by company and industry.

In addition to supporting victim-survivors who are already in work, countries such as Costa Rica, Spain and the United Kingdom have also supported measures to help victim-survivors into the workforce, particularly important given the severe impact that violence can have on employment.

The causes and consequences of IPV are far-reaching, and addressing them requires an adequately funded, cross-sectoral approach involving many sectors of government and society.  With the right approach, employers can play a part - while helping to address the incredibly high costs of violence to individuals, businesses and societies.