We know that domestic violence can happen to anyone. We know that many of our members will have a direct experience of domestic violence or will have worked with those affected by domestic violence.
The facts are one woman is killed in Australia almost every week by a partner or ex-partner. (Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), 2016.) and two thirds of women experiencing domestic violence also work.
Domestic violence doesn’t just happen at home — it follows women to work as well, through threatening emails, phone calls, stalking and trauma.
Despite the hundreds of incidents of domestic violence reported every day there is no basic entitlement for a worker experiencing such violence to access leave.
Domestic violence leave gives women the time they need to attend counselling and support service appointments, court dates, allows them to move home or take their children to new schools in order to escape the cycle of violence.
We are calling on the Federal Government to immediately introduce legislation which will see the inclusion of ten days’ paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave in the National Employment Standard.
We won’t wait. We cannot wait. Join us in our calls to have Family Domestic Violence leave for all workers. Take ACTION now, sign the petition HERE
