Family and Domestic Violence- the shameful statistics

On average at least one woman a week is killed by a partner or former partner in Australia. One in four Australian women has experienced some form of abuse by a current or former partner.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women with disabilities, CALD women experience an even higher rate of violence compared to other women.

Of those women who experience violence, more than half have children in their care.

Almost two thirds of women who experience violence are in the workforce.

Intimate partner violence contributes to more death, disability and illness in women aged 15 to 44 than any other preventable risk factor- bigger than heart disease and lung cancer.

Domestic or family violence against women is the single largest driver of homelessness for women.

It results in a police call-out on average once every two minutes across the country.

The economic cost of Family and Domestic Violence

It is estimated that Family and Domestic Violence costs the economy $12.6 billion a year. This includes lost productivity, resources like medical and hospital, policing, legal, community.

10 days’ Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave will make a difference

Access to 10 days’ paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave means a woman leaving violence can:

• relocate to a safe place;
• relocate her children to a new school or childcare;
• attend medical or specialist appointments;
• attend legal appointments;
• attend court hearings

She can leave without the fear of losing her employment and financial independence.

The cost to employers is just five cents per worker per day.

10 days’ paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave will change lives- it will save lives. Every worker who experiences violence must have access to 10 days’ paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave.

We Won’t Wait

Access to 10 days’ paid Family and Domestic Leave must be a fundamental right for all workers. It should be as accessible as any other leave- sick, carers, annual, and shouldn’t be able to be bargained away by employers.

The only way to ensure that 10 days’ paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave is accessible to all workers is for the Federal Government to legislate for it to be a National Employment Standard.

Every condition we now value, we rely upon, was fought for and won by union members. Sick leave, annual leave, long service leave, the 8-hour day, workers’ compensation.

Now we must unite again to demand that access to 10 days’ paid Family and Domestic Violence becomes a fundamental right for all workers.

1. JOIN YOUR UNION- your membership is crucial to winning this leave for all workers.
2. TAKE A PHOTO- with your fellow union members in support of the campaign. Send to info@wewontwaitdv.org.au
3. SIGN THE PETITION and take a copy to get every family member, everyone on your street to sign too
4. VOLUNTEER to help. Go to wewontwaitdv.org.au