Coronavirus (COVID-19)

help for employees when home is not a safe place

The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis presents us with a challenging time and we are particularly concerned about those facing domestic abuse who are required to work at home. Work is often their only safe space. Please keep in touch with those you know, or fear, may be facing abuse and ask your colleagues to do the same.

Guidance for employers

See our Chair, Elizabeth Filkin, highlight our concerns over the impact of COVID-19 on those facing domestic abuse, and how employers can help.

There are a number of challenges to be overcome by all organisations in order to maintain capability and capacity while also protecting employees. Several of our members and wider partners have developed support and guidance, which can be found in our COVID-19: employer-developed resources page.

The Home Office has also created a COVID-19 employer pack. This gives guidance to employers as to how they can best reassure employees facing domestic abuse that the COVID-19 household isolation instructions do not apply to them. It also helps reinforce the message that they are not alone and there is help and support available. Part of their Domestic Abuse COVID-19 Campaign, the pack includes draft information for staff communications and a link to download shareable materials - such as posters, leaflets, animations, email signatures and social media assets - from the Home Office portal.

SUPPORT FOR THOSE FACING DOMESTIC ABUSE

For those for whom work is their only safe space, the prospect of having to work from home for the foreseeable future will be an intimidating one. We are asking all employers to do a number of things in order to help protect their employees at risk of experiencing domestic abuse:

• Keep in touch with employees you know, or fear, may be facing abuse and also alert colleagues to keep in touch with those they suspect may be facing abuse
  
  This could take the form of regular video or phone calls, so that employers can have face-to-face contact with employees, or where this presents risk of being overheard, through emails or text messages. For those facing domestic abuse, this could be their only access to support.
   

• Continue to signpost employees to support services, in particular:
  
  Supermarkets and pharmacies are still open, so can provide a safe place to ask for help.

  
  The Bright Sky mobile app, free to download from the App Store or Google Play, provides support and information to anyone who may be experiencing domestic abuse or is concerned about someone they know.
  
  The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24-hours a day, for free and in confidence on 0808 2000 247.
  
  Support service providers listed in our Support Services Directory.
   

• If you are worried about a child, contact the NSPCC

  Email help@nspcc.org.uk or call their helpline on 0808 800 5000.
   

• If serious abuse is reported to you or to a colleague, advise your employee to contact the police on 101
   

• If the situation is critical, call 999 and ask for the police

  If someone is in danger and unable to talk on the phone, they can then press 55. This will transfer the call to the relevant police force who will assist them without them having to speak.
   

• If you lose touch with employees, take swift action to re-establish contact

  If needs be, visit the employee to ensure their safety.

SUPPORT FOR PERPETRATORS TO STOP THEIR DOMESTIC ABUSE

We are asking all employers to signpost those perpetrating domestic abuse to the Respect Phoneline, with the message “When the world feels unsafe, don’t make your home unsafe. Get help to manage your behaviour”.

Email: info@respectphoneline.org.uk
Helpline: 0808 8024040

Support contacts for self-isolation and domestic abuse

Important websites for information and support