The DV Project

What is the problem?

Domestic and family violence costs Australian businesses nearly $2,000 per victim in lost productivity according to a report by PwC.

In the Australian workforce, women comprise 46.2% of all employees. Women are also overwhelmingly overrepresented as victims of domestic and family violence. When an employee is experiencing domestic and family violence their productivity decreases, absenteeism increases, and some previously reliable employees are performance managed or dismissed.

What is the solution?

The DV Project is a fee for service workplace information, education and training program that aims to keep women engaged in the workplace, increase safety for victims by providing a soft entry point for disclosure, and maintain a victim’s connections to community and financial independence.

Its primary purpose is to raise awareness of domestic and family violence among employees, support managers to respond appropriately to employees experiencing domestic and family violence, and to educate businesses in recognising and responding to disclosures of domestic and family violence.

How does it work?

The DV Project provides information and practical guidance to workplaces to better support victims of domestic and family violence, including:

• Providing information resources for all employees
• Assisting in the implementation of domestic and family violence policy and procedure
• Providing training for relevant managers on how to respond to a disclosure of domestic and family violence; and
• Providing ongoing support for the employer

The DV Project adds value to businesses by:

• Increasing productivity in the workplace
• Increasing customer and employee loyalty
• Meeting increasing interest from organisations to become an ‘employer of choice’

What are the benefits?

So far, we have assisted more than 20 private, not-for-profit and government organisations to implement workplace practices that enable them to effectively respond to disclosures of domestic and family violence.

Following implementation of the program:

• 100% of businesses believed that domestic and family violence was a workplace issue
• Disclosures of domestic violence in these workplaces increased by 67%
• Employer confidence to respond appropriately to a disclosure increased by 62%; and
• Employees that felt their workplace was a safe place to disclose domestic and family violence increased by 77%

How do I get involved?

If your business is interested in getting involved in The DV Project, please phone Housing Plus on 1800 603 300.

Click to view The DV Project flyer