When someone is living with domestic and family violence (DFV), they don’t just carry the trauma home — they carry it into the office, onto the job site, or through the customer service desk. They carry it in their bodies, bank accounts, inboxes, and shift schedules.
And yet, in far too many Australian workplaces, DFV is still treated as “private.” An HR issue. A side note to safety. Something to be tolerated, not addressed.
But as the ACTU made clear in their recent submission to the Senate’s Workplace Support for Employees Experiencing DFV inquiry, this is no longer good enough. DFV is a workplace issue. It affects safety, productivity, legal risk, and — most importantly — the wellbeing of people at work.
In this blog, we’ll unpack why DFV is undeniably a workplace issue, what the ACTU and others are calling for, and what it means for every Australian employer.
🔍 What the ACTU Says: DFV Is Already at Work
According to the ACTU:
- One in four women has experienced DFV.
- Many carry the consequences to work — from injuries to financial control, anxiety, surveillance, or forced absenteeism.
- Coercive control and abuse do not “pause” during work hours. In fact, work can be the only place someone has freedom, income, or safety — which makes it both a risk and a lifeline.
From the submission:
“Work is often the only place where a person experiencing DFV may be able to access support… or find respite.”
🧨 The Impact of DFV on Workplaces
The consequences of DFV don’t stay at home.
1. Absenteeism and Presenteeism
Survivors may miss work due to court hearings, medical appointments, mental health, or relocation. Others attend, but are anxious, distracted, or unsafe.
2. Job Loss and Insecure Work
The ACTU submission found that workers who experience DFV are more likely to:
- Be employed in insecure, casual, or part-time roles
- Lose jobs due to violence-related disruptions
- Be unable to qualify for basic protections or leave
3. Workplace Safety Risks
Perpetrators may:
- Harass or stalk someone at work
- Access internal systems to track them
- Pose risks to colleagues or customers
“Perpetrators often know where victims work — and can use this knowledge to continue abuse.”
⚖️ Why Workplaces Must Respond
1. It’s a WHS Obligation
DFV is a psychosocial hazard. Under WHS law, employers are required to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks — and that includes those stemming from violence.
2. It’s an Equality Issue
Women, especially those in low-paid, insecure roles, face disproportionate risks — both from DFV and from the workplace systems that fail to support them.
3. It’s a Human Issue
Work is often the only safe space for someone experiencing DFV. A place where intervention, income, or support may be possible. Employers have the opportunity — and responsibility — to show up.
🚧 But “Just Policy” Isn’t Enough
The ACTU warns against performative responses: policies that exist but aren’t used, leave that’s inaccessible, managers who aren’t trained.
True workplace safety requires:
- Leave entitlements that match real-world recovery
- Cultural safety and trauma-informed systems
- Stable, secure employment so victims don’t have to choose between safety and survival
🧠 Final Thought: DFV Follows People to Work — But So Can Support
Domestic and family violence is not a private matter. It’s a workplace matter. A safety matter. A systems matter.
If employers want to build real safety and equity into their workplaces, DFV must be named, resourced, and addressed as part of core business.
