While the national conversation around gendered violence has continued to grow in prominence in 2024, we still have a long way to go to eliminate the scourge of violence against women in this country.
One small step in the right direction was the introduction of paid family and domestic violence leave as a minimum entitlement for all Australian workers, which came into effect (in full) from August 2023. It was the result of a years-long campaign by our union movement and women’s rights organisations.
We know that, on average, it costs women $18,000 to flee a violent relationship, so this entitlement is critical for helping women access medical, legal, financial, emergency housing, safety planning, relocation and counselling services.
So more than a year on, how are these laws making a difference?
In positive signs, a review of workers’ experiences with these new entitlements – conducted by Flinders University – found it is largely working “as intended”.
The report states, “victim-survivors who have used the entitlement largely find it effective in enabling them to take steps to ensure their safety without jeopardising their income or employment”.
However, uptake of the paid entitlement is low. Another survey of large ASX-listed firms revealed just 0.4% of workers had accessed the new leave entitlement in the first 12 months of the policy.
The Flinders University review puts this down to low awareness, including uncertainty about evidentiary requirements, privacy and confidentiality concerns, and the continued stigma around family and domestic violence.
The FSU has made significant progress negotiating Enterprise Agreements that offer more than the minimum entitlement as provided in the National Employment Standards (NES). In fact, 89% of all FSU-negotiated agreements in 2024 provide more generous family and domestic violence leave entitlements than the NES requirement.
If you’re not sure what your entitlements are, take a look at your Enterprise Agreement on our FSU website here. If you have any questions, contact our Member Rights Centre on 1300 366 378 or [email protected] and we can help you.
From 25 November – 10 December, Australia is marking 16 days of action against gendered violence. 25 November marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, while 10 December is International Human Rights Day.
While it’s an important time to focus on the prevention and elimination of violence, it’s also important to remember that we must be activists every day.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared the country faced a ‘national crisis’ when it came to violence against women. The Federal Government commissioned the Rapid Review into Prevention Approaches, and subsequently committed $4.4 billion in new funding to help address the problem, including for more frontline services and initiatives to prevent violence against women.
While we welcome this additional funding, we know there is a lot more work to do, and we all need to play our part.
If you or someone you know is at risk or experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au
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