Our new pilot campaign supports small businesses in making their workplace a safe and helpful place for victims of domestic or sexual abuse.

‘Things we can do’ acknowledges that small businesses are often at very different stages of the journey in becoming a safe space for support and conversation. 

Research commissioned by the Vodafone Foundation in 2019 found that 86% of companies believe they have a duty of care towards victims of domestic abuse but that at that time, only 5% had introduced a policy or guidance about domestic abuse.

This has improved in the years since that research was published, but there are many businesses that are yet to formalise their response to disclosures of abuse.

The eight simple tips – available below – draw on the West Midlands Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault and Abuse Standards and provide clear guidance on what businesses, regardless of size, should consider. 

Tips

1. Identify roles and responsibilities

It can help to know ‘who does what’ if someone discloses domestic or sexual abuse to a member of the team, or you suspect it. It also means knowing who to turn to if the regular ‘point of contact’ is unavailable.

    2. Be aware of the signs

    Take time to talk to your team about the types of things to look out for that might indicate domestic or sexual abuse. It could be physical indicators like bruising or repeated injuries, shifts in a person’s behaviour, or changes in their work.

      3. Signpost support services

      There is a wealth of local, regional and national support services that can support victims of domestic abuse or sexual abuse. They can also provide important information and resources for businesses. Visit our support page to see what’s available in your area.

      4. Create the right culture

      It’s important to foster a safe and supportive culture, where employees feel able to disclose abuse and comfortable in supporting your customers.

      5. Find training opportunities

      There are national accreditations available through organisations such as White Ribbon that can help businesses to develop their internal processes. They provide training and guidance that can help you adopt trauma-informed practice in the workplace. It might be worthwhile having ‘Domestic Abuse Champions’ or ‘Sexual Abuse Champions’ who are trained to spot the potential signs of domestic abuse or sexual abuse.

      6. Provide the right spaces

      It’s important to provide a safe, quiet area for people to talk freely and confidentially. This could be a room in the workplace or similar, but it’s best to identify a place in your policy. 

      7. Write a workplace policy

      It can help to work with your team when developing the policy, and to agree steps that can be taken in the event someone, staff or customer, discloses domestic or sexual abuse to you – or if you suspect it is taking place. Remember, you may want to have specific provisions in the policy for team members who work from home.

      8. Take further steps

      A lot of businesses are going through the same process and building their own policies. Take the time to engage with others in your network and evaluate your policies regularly. You can also explore the full DA/SAA Standards to see the complete recommendations.

      We also recommend the Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse – a network of 1500 small and large employers, from all sectors, taking action on domestic abuse.

      Notes

      The West Midlands Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault and Abuse Standards were created in 2023/4 by multi-agency partners including those from health, local authorities, the specialist support sector, police, criminal justice and others. This work was led by the OPCC-headed West Midlands Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault and Abuse Boards.

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