Sue Bookchin, executive director of Nova Scotia-based non-profit Be the Peace, says victims of gender-based violence lose productivity, promotions and opportunities to lead.DARREN CALABRESE/The Globe and Mail
Gender-based violence isn’t something that’s often spoken of at work.
But with one-third of women worldwide affected by gender-based violence and an increase in reported domestic or intimate partner abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s an issue that can’t be ignored, says Paulette Senior, president and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation.
“We all know someone that has experienced gender-based violence at home,” Ms. Senior says. “They exist in our workplaces.”
Incidents of gender-based violence increased by as much as 30 per cent during COVID-19 lockdowns in Canada, with racialized women disproportionately affected. Women’s organizations, shelters and support groups received more calls for help at the height of the pandemic.
The increase in gender-based violence resulted in advocates and the UN calling the issue a shadow pandemic. According to UN Women, increased domestic violence intensifies concerns about victims’ security, health and finances.
Perhaps the most profound impact is that victims have untreated trauma and cannot live up to their potential, says Sue Bookchin, executive director of Nova Scotia-based Be the Peace, a non-profit that works to end gender-based violence.
The effects of abuse can show up at work, Ms. Bookchin says.
“Lost productivity is only part of the picture. The victims lose potential promotions. Think of the lost leadership of women [because of gender-based violence],” she says.
‘We haven’t made a dent in decades’
According to Dr. Audra Bowlus, professor of economics at Western University, victims of gender-based violence lose one month of work a year.
Her study found victims of gender-based violence do not perform well on the job due to absenteeism, lateness, inattentiveness and an inability to concentrate due to the distractions of their current or prior victimization.
Due to a lack of income and resources, those who experience domestic or intimate partner violence have fewer options to leave violent relationships, according to UN Women. Victims of gender-based violence change jobs at a much higher rate and are more often employed in precarious work.
“We know that women are the great caretakers of our society,” Ms. Senior says. “However, experiencing gender-based violence can affect one’s ability to keep a job and take care of themselves and others.”
Currently, Ms. Bookchin says, support falls on the shoulders of women and activists, who are low paid, exhausted and who may also have their own trauma.
“We haven’t made a dent in gender-based violence in decades,” she says. “It is time for us to pay more attention. We cannot leave this to the justice system and police because they are woefully inadequate.”
Power of a hand signal
For employers concerned about retaining employees, Ms. Senior suggests creating the kind of culture where having uncommon conversations makes them more accessible.
“Just like you would not want someone to come to work sick, you don’t want someone coming to work having to hide what’s happening to them,” she says. “Then something unspeakable happens, and we say we wish we had known.”
In response to the increase in violence, the Canadian Women’s Foundation developed the hand signal for help which gained media coverage when one US teen was saved from a kidnapping. The signal is performed by folding your thumb into your hand and wrapping your fingers around your thumb.
Ms. Senior says the hand signal was originally designed to silently convey a person was experiencing violence virtually over a video call. The instructions have been translated into 20 languages and the signal has spread to more than 45 countries.
“We thought it had limitations. Today, I stand corrected,” Ms. Senior says. “This tool can transform us from a culture of silence to a culture of support.”
After the hand signal spread through social media, the organization went on to create a website called Signal Responder where people can learn how to help. The CWF Action Guide provides helpful information about how to support victims of abuse and includes links to organizations and support groups across Canada. More than 27,000 people have signed up to receive the Action Guide since the resources were created.
“Most people don’t know how to respond and respond in a way that doesn’t put the person in greater danger,” Ms. Senior says.
Creating confidential spaces
Dr. Nancy Ross, assistant professor at Dalhousie University’s School of Social Work, believes that employers could do their part by making a public commitment to gender equality in the workplace. “We know that wages are not equal, and that’s a place to start,” Dr. Ross says.
Workplaces need to acknowledge the issue by identifying the potential risks, she says. People who experience gender-based violence often feel like they have to quit their job or go on leave to deal with the effect on their mental state and their motivation to work.
“[The trauma of violence] influences your outlook in terms of what you see as important,” she says. “This limits a person’s ability to flourish, and the whole issue is shrouded by stigma.”
Creating confidential spaces where victims can share their experiences in the workplace could make change, Dr. Ross says.
Ms. Bookchin’s advice to employers looking to make a difference in the lives of people who have suffered from domestic or intimate partner violence is to learn to notice the signs. Every workplace should have policies, education and training in place to protect employees, she adds.
“Create safe spaces,” Ms. Bookchin says, “and understand that this is very common.”
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