St. John’s, NL – The St. John’s Status of Women Council has partnered with the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women and Children at the University of Western Ontario to launch a critically important survey on the impact of Domestic Violence on workers and workplaces in Newfoundland and Labrador.
A national survey conducted by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) in 2014 found that Domestic Violence (DV) negatively affected the working lives of more than 80 per cent of DV survivors. Over half of those reporting DV experiences indicated that at least one type of abusive act occurred at or near the workplace. More data is needed to fully understand the scope of the impact of DV on workplaces in our province.
“Domestic Violence costs the Canadian economy a staggering $7.4 billion annually,” said Jenny Wright, Executive Director of the St. John’s Status of Women Council. “The good news is that Canadian and international research has shown that positive change can happen when the right types of policies, training and other supports are put in place. By completing the DV at Work survey, you can contribute to creating workplace practices that help support victims of DV and their co-workers.”
The survey is anonymous, and participation is voluntary. All workers in Newfoundland and Labrador over the age of 15 are invited to participate.
“We are working hard to ensure participation from all regions of Newfoundland and Labrador, all genders, Indigenous people, and people with different perspectives and experiences,” said Ms. Wright. “Your voice is important, whether or not you have personally experienced or witnessed violence.”
The DV at Work survey is available at https://sjwomenscentre.ca/dvatworknl/. Paper copies of the survey can be accessed by calling (709) 753-0220.
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Media Contact
Jenny Wright
Executive Director
St. John’s Status of Women Council
Tel. 709.753.0220
jenny@sjwomenscentre.ca
About St. John’s Status of Women Council/Women’s Centre
The St. John’s Status of Women Council/Women’s Centre is a feminist organization that since 1972 is continually working to achieve equality and justice through political activism, community collaboration and the creation of a safe and inclusive space for all women in the St. John’s area. The St. John’s Status of Women Council operates the Women’s Centre, Marguerite’s Place Supportive Housing Program and the Safe Harbour Outreach Project.
Backgrounder
A nationwide survey was launched by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the University of Western Ontario in 2014 to help understand national DV trends. The resulting data illustrated that DV is a systemic barrier to women’s economic security. This has severe implications for our province’s labour force and presents a tremendous cost to our economy.
The CLC’s initiative was inspired by ground breaking surveys used to gather data in Australia. The Australian findings identified the prevalence and impact of DV on the workplace and resulted in vital new legislation. It mandated domestic/family violence workplace benefits, including dedicated paid leave and flexible work arrangements.
A growing number of provinces in Canada are implementing DV Leave legislation and policies to make workplaces safer. New Brunswick has most recently implemented DV Leave.
RESULTS FROM THE CLC’s PAN-CANADIAN SURVEY (2014):
• Over half (53.5 per cent) of those reporting DV experiences indicated that at least one type of abusive act occurred at or near the workplace. Of these, the most common were abusive phone calls or text messages (40.6 per cent) and stalking or harassment near the workplace.
• 53 per cent of survivors felt their job performance was negatively impacted.
• 75 per cent had difficulty concentrating on their work.
• 19 per cent reported causing or nearly causing workplace accidents due to their violent relationship.
• 40 per cent of those who reported experiencing Domestic Violence, said DV made it difficult for them to get to work.