By Sue Harper, Deputy Director of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Prevention, and Alessia Bianco, Head of Everyone’s Business at Hestia
As awareness of the widespread impact of domestic abuse and the vital role of employers has grown in recent years, so too have the expectations on managers to be able to respond appropriately. Hestia’s Respond to Abuse Advice Line has seen an increase in calls from HR teams and managers who need help to ensure they are effectively supporting colleagues experiencing abuse, and we are also hearing about increasingly complex and high-risk cases – all of which adds to the pressure on employers.
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Statutory Guidance recognises that “Employers should consider the impact of domestic abuse on their employees as part of their duty of care.” It also notes that “as best practice, employers should develop policies to set out their approach to domestic abuse within their workforce.”
But for many organisations, simply having a policy on domestic abuse does not go far enough. One such organisation is EY who have been working with Hestia’s Everyone’s Business Team since 2019. Paul Quinlan, Associate Director of their Talent Team commented:
“Our focus is on ensuring that people receive a smooth and speedy process when they reach out for help, so they are able to access expert advice quickly and safely. Through our work with Hestia, we understand how abuse might be behind someone’s absence or underperformance at work. We now know how to ask questions sensitively and in a way that will help an employee feel comfortable talking to us.
“We continue to look at what else we can do to enhance the level of support we’re able to provide. As an employer that cares about its people, I think offering this support is a very important part of who we are.”
What is an IDVA?
EY are one of the many organisations that commission a specialist service for employees, staffed by Hestia’s dedicated Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs).
IDVAs are trained to support victim-survivors of domestic abuse, both through addressing any immediate safety concerns for them and their children, and by providing longer-term support. They can also empower victim-survivors to make informed choices and work with other agencies to meet their needs. The government has highlighted that working with IDVAs has been found to positively impact victim-survivors' experiences as well as boosting engagement with the criminal justice system.
Hestia’s Everyone’s Business IDVAs work with all employees impacted by domestic abuse, including all genders and levels of risk.
By working with Hestia’s Everyone’s Business Team, employers can offer their staff a confidential, independent specialist support service – which in turn, gives managers more confidence that they can get their employees the right advice, in a timely way.
One employee who accessed Hestia’s dedicated support shared:
"The IDVA service has helped me immensely, especially at the beginning when I did not know where to turn or what to do... When I saw the notice for your service it offered me the opportunity to gain confidential advice, a sounding board to bring sense to my thoughts. The support and advice were invaluable in giving me the courage to do the right thing. Although things seemed to get worse before they got better, I do feel I am now in a better place and things are improving for both my son and myself. I will always appreciate the support."
All organisations should be aware of the impact of domestic abuse on their employees, but for those who want to put in place the gold standard of support, working with a dedicated IDVA could be an important way to give employees and managers alike the confidence to speak out.
For more information on Hestia’s dedicated IDVA service for employers, Everyone’s Business will be delivering an Insight Hour with EIDA on Tuesday 1 October 2024. You can also visit www.hestia.org/everyones-business.