Call for Adelaide City Council to run staff training on domestic violence

Adelaide City Councillor Arman Abrahimzadeh’s mum was killed by his father after years of abuse — and he wants the council to lead the way and train staff to recognise and respond to domestic violence.

• Advocate against family violence driven by desire for change
• Zahra’s children establish foundation to protect other women

Abuse survivor and councillor Arman Abrahimzadeh wants the Adelaide City Council to ensure its staff are trained to recognise and respond to domestic violence which he says is likely affecting those in its ranks.

Mr Abrahimzadeh’s mother Zahra was killed by his father in 2010 after he had subjected the family to years of abuse.

Mr Abrahimzadeh has since become a nationally recognised anti-violence advocate and was elected to the city council in November last year.

He has put a motion on the agenda for Tuesday night’s meeting urging elected members to approve a training program for council staff.

“Domestic violence affects so many people and we are one of the larger councils, with a large number of staff, so chances are we would have victims, and possibly perpetrators, among our workforce,” Mr Abrahimzadeh told The Advertiser.

“The more we talk about it the more we encourage people to look at their own situations and possibly say something.”

As of June last year the council employed more than 900 staff, including casual workers and trainees.

Mr Abrahimzadeh acknowledged the training may not be extended to all workers, such as those contracted by council, but was intended to spread awareness as widely as possible.

He has not specified who should provide the training.

Every State Government department undergoes White Ribbon Australia accreditation while the federally-funded body Our Watch also delivers workplace education programs.

Earlier this year Mr Abrahimzadeh lodged a question on notice with the council about what it does to “assist staff who may be victims or perpetrators of domestic violence”.

The response said the council “recognises that employees sometimes face situations of violence or abuse in their personal life that may affect their attendance or performance at work”.

Current support includes approving requests to change work hours, phone number or email address, temporarily relocate to another role or location within council or take “special leave” to attend medical or legal appointments.

Specialist psychologists are also available to counsel staff, but there is no all-staff training or awareness program.

In April, Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor wrote a heartfelt appeal in The City Messenger for South Australians to take a public stand against domestic violence.

Late Monday the council confirmed that staff experiencing domestic violence would be offered 20 days of paid leave, which could be used to attend medical or legal appointments.

The Australian Services Union said the decision followed 11 months of negotiations and replaced an initial proposal by council that employees be required to use personal leave, if they had accrued 12 days’ worth, before accessing domestic violence leave.