DFV RESOURCES

The long reach of domestic violence

SSAA has partnered with WorkHaven to provide domestic and family violence resources.

Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) is a serious issue affecting one in four women and one in 16 men in Australia. It is the leading health risk to women of reproductive years and the highest cause of homelessness in women and children. These sobering statistics clearly show why we all need to take a stand against DFV to reduce the impact and incidence of violence in our communities.

Due to the nature of our work, the self storage industry will likely encounter DFV situations during our day-to-day activities. Some members have expressed that they have needed to manage situations involving or caused by violence. These situations include customers who need to get their belongings in or out of storage at short notice as they are fleeing abuse. Conflicts at storage facilities have escalated to violence, and people have attempted to sleep in a unit due to the homelessness that DFV caused.

The SSAA understands the importance of equipping members with the proper knowledge and tools to address this situation and support customers or employees facing violence. We have recently worked with WorkHaven, which supports workplaces in addressing DFV in a relevant and meaningful way. As a result, we have developed a leader guide, factsheet and DFV policy template for use by our members. One in six women in the workforce is impacted by violence, and a recent study by Monash University revealed that 84% of victims of DFV struggle to do their job as a result. As an industry with thousands of employees, we need to provide the right support and assistance to affected workers. The resources we have created with WorkHaven will help do so. WorkHaven founder and CEO Jo Mason, who presented at the recent Convention, shared her own story of DFV and provided valuable insights to enable the industry to understand more about this complex and challenging situation. “Domestic and Family Violence doesn’t discriminate – it can happen to anyone,” Jo said. “The self storage industry has a part to play in supporting customers who may be impacted by violence. It all starts with kindness – leaning in to listen to someone and encouraging them to seek support through a specialist service.” When supporting a person who is affected by DFV, it is important to remember to: l take time to understand the impacts and complexities of the situation so that you can provide appropriate support; l lean in with empathy and let the person know you believe them and you are there to help as needed; l let them explain their situation in their own words and in a way they feel comfortable – they may share a little at first to gain trust; l respect that they understand their situation and possible risks better than anyone; l give them agency to make their own decisions; l recognise that the support they need may change over time; and l encourage the person to reach out to a specialist support service, as they can provide expertise and pathways to safety. l

“As an industry with thousands of employees, we need to provide the right support and assistance to affected workers. The resources we have created with WorkHaven will help do so.

If you are affected by DFV or supporting another person who is, please reach out to 1800 RESPECT for free and confidential assistance. For more information about WorkHaven, please visit www. workhaven.com.au, and access the SSAA DFV resources in the SSAA Member Portal under Member Services.