Unions and employers must play their part in preventing violence against women, says TUC

Trade unions across Europe have called on employers to work with them to halt domestic violence, at a conference to mark the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Friday).

The call is part of Safe at Home, Safe at Work, a new report by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which highlights union action on the issue across eleven countries, including the UK.

Over one in five working women in the UK take time off because of domestic abuse, and one in fifty lose their jobs, according to Home Office figures. One in five victims took more than a month off work in a year because of abuse.

A YouGov/TUC poll in August 2016 found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of young women and over half (52%) of all women had experienced sexual harassment at work.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“Domestic violence doesn’t stop at the front door. Many women find that the abuse follows women into work. Tragically, there have even been cases of women being murdered by abusive partners at work.

“Unions are leading the way in showing that sexual harassment and violence against women are workplace issues. Employers, unions and government must all ensure that women are supported at work and can get on with their jobs free from harassment and fear.”

Actions taken by unions highlighted in the report include:

• securing paid leave for victims of domestic violence;
• specialist training on sexual harassment and domestic violence;
• workplace campaigns against sexual harassment and violence.

The ETUC report makes recommendations including:

• joint policies between union and employers on dealing with domestic violence;
• making sure there are women in senior positions in both unions and employers;
• trained union reps to ensure support for victims at work;
• an end to employment tribunal fees, to ensure that nobody is priced out of justice at work.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
Several women have been killed by their partners at work in recent years:
- In 2005 Clare Bernal was shot dead by her former boyfriend on the shop floor at Harvey Nichols.
- In 2010 Jane Clough (26), a mother of one, was stabbed to death by her ex-partner in the car park of the hospital where she worked as a nurse.
- In 2012 Natalie Esack was stabbed to death by her husband in the hair salon where she worked.
- In 2014, Hollie Gazzard (20) was killed by her ex-partner in front of clients while working at a hairdressers.
- A UK draft of ETUC’s report, Safe at Home, Safe at Work can be read here: www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/ETUCdomesticviolenceUKdraft.pdf
- The YouGov/TUC research into sexual harassment can be found here: www.tuc.org.uk/sexualharassment
- Figures on domestic violence victims taking time off work are from Domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking: Findings from the British Crime Survey Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, March 2004; and from Walby, S & Allen, J.
- All TUC press releases can be found at tuc.org.uk/media
- TUC Press Office on Twitter: @tucnews

Contacts:
Press Office  T: 020 7467 1248  E: media@tuc.org.uk
Michael Pidgeon  T: 020 7467 1372  M: 07717 531150  E: mpidgeon@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson (Mon to Thurs) T: 020 7467 1337  M: 07900 910624  E: egibson@tuc.org.uk
Alex Rossiter  T: 020 7467 1285  M: 07887 572130  E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk
Tim Nichols  T: 020 7467 1388  M: 07808 761844  E: tnichols@tuc.org.uk