Roundtable to discuss business role in reducing family violence

Sixty corporate leaders will discuss the role of businesses and workplaces in reducing domestic abuse, as Australia’s family violence crisis worsens and women and children continue to suffer.

Corporate leaders will on Monday convene to discuss the role of businesses and workplaces in reducing domestic abuse.

Some 60 corporate leaders will on Monday convene to discuss the role of businesses and workplaces in reducing domestic abuse, as Australia’s family violence crisis worsens and women and children continue to suffer.

Representatives from Woolworths Group, Telstra, Optus, Origin, AGL, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Property Council of Australia and major banks, super funds and insurers will gather in Sydney to explore how corporations can help to prevent domestic violence.

Domestic, family and sexual violence commissioner Micaela Cronin said businesses had an important role to play in supporting people who had experienced abuse. “Governments and communities across the country have recognised that violence against women is at a crisis point in Australia,” she will say.

“We all, but especially major companies and businesses, have a role to play in ending domestic, family and sexual violence.

“We know that systems can be, and often are, weaponised. That men who use violence are very good at weaponising every new technology to continue their ­coercive control.

“Today is an important day in gathering senior executives from the largest companies in Australia so they can hear directly about what is needed to identify, reduce and ultimately end violence against women and children.”

The roundtable will discuss how corporations can prevent gender-based violence through fostering gender equality in the workplace, and design products and services that are safe and prevent misuse, while also focusing on perpetrators accountability.

It will also examine the impact leave entitlements, such as paid family and domestic violence leave and paid parental leave, can have on survivors of abuse.

Flequity Ventures founder Catherine Fitzpatrick, who pioneered bank responses to tech-­facilitated abuse and engagement with businesses, said the roundtable was an important step. “If we are to realise Australia’s ambition to end gendered violence in a generation, it will take collective action across sectors to promote respect for women and protect against abuse.”