Domestic violence is a workplace issue

In an Australian first, members of the Male Champions of Change who employ a collective 600,000 employees have worked with experts to create a practical guide for workplaces seeking to respond to domestic and family violence as a workplace issue.

The report calls on all leaders to "Play Their Part" in reducing the prevalence and impact of domestic and family violence.

Commissioned by the Male Champions of Change and prepared by KPMG Australia, the report describes practical actions that organisations can take to reduce the prevalence and impact of domestic and family violence.

This includes a three-level model of implementation, supported by examples of responses from Male Champions of Change organisations.

"Gender inequality is both a cause and consequence of domestic violence. We realise now that we can't champion gender balanced leadership without addressing domestic and family violence, whose victims are overwhelmingly women," the Male Champions of Change said in a letter sent to Australian's leading companies.

Today around 1.4 million Australian women are living in an abusive relationship or have done so in the past, and of these, around 800,000 are in the paid workforce. Economic factors are the most significant predictor of whether a woman experiencing domestic violence remains in, leaves or returns to an abusive relationship.

KPMG estimates that domestic and family violence will cost Australian businesses $609 million annually by 2021.

Playing Our Part can be found at www.malechampionsofchange.com.

Date: 13 November 2015

Source: Australian Human Rights Commission