To escape a violent relationship, you have to take time off work.  Many of the services that support women and their children are only available during business hours.  Without paid leave, people experiencing violence simply don’t have time or resources to find a new, safe, place. 

In Australia a woman dies every week because of family and domestic violence.  

Family and domestic violence is the leading cause of death, disability and illness among women aged 15-44 years, greater than cancer or heart disease. 

Domestic violence can happen to anyone. 800,000 women and 1 in 20 men will experience family or domestic violence this year. 

In NSW alone, police respond to about 40 domestic violence incidents every day. 

To escape a violent relationship, you have to take time off work.  Many of the services that support women and their children are only available during business hours.  Without paid leave, people experiencing violence simply don’t have time or resources to find a new, safe, place. 

People experiencing violence require time off to visit a police station to file a complaint, attend court hearings about AVOs and assaults, find emergency accommodation, meet with solicitors, meet with financial counsellors, change the school arrangements of children, speak with specialised support workers and counsellors. 

The Australian Services Union is the union for workers in women’s services and is leading a campaign for 10 days paid domestic violence leave to be included in the National Employment Standards, and available to all workers. 

The ASU’s We Won’t Wait campaign calls on all political parties to support 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave to be included in the National Employment Standards.  

Family violence is a workplace issue, and tackling family violence is union business. Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave will help save lives. It is shameful that we must fight for it, but we will. We will win because to fail is unthinkable. 

The ASU was the first union to successfully negotiate a domestic violence leave clause into a collective agreement in Australia. Now, more than 1.6 million Australian employees are covered by these clauses in their enterprise agreements or awards. 

ASU members are on the frontline of domestic and family violence, working in women’s refuges as domestic violence workers, advocates, counsellors. The ASU Women’s Services Subdivision, chaired by ASU member Sam Parker, identified the need for 10 days paid domestic violence leave as necessary allowing people experiencing violence to keep financial independence. 

Sam is a domestic violence worker in Western Sydney, advocating for women and children who have experienced domestic violence. Every day she supports women to live safely, free of the threat and injury of domestic violence. The service Sam works for receives 150 referrals each week from police who have attended domestic violence incidents. 

Sam says "It is not enough to state that domestic violence is unacceptable, and a scourge upon our community. We need more than words." 

The campaign is supported by the ALP, the Greens and every state and territory government. The Federal Liberal Government is the only hold out. 

In 2018 the Turnbull government legislated 5 days of unpaid leave. However, having economic independence and job security is critical to ensuring that any worker experiencing violence can take the steps they need to leave.  

The NSW Attorney General and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Mark Speakman, told Guardian Australia that paid leave “is critical in providing financial stability to people experiencing domestic and family violence.” 

Women need to know that their workplace is committed to supporting them through paid leave to speak out, seek help and take action if they are experiencing domestic violence. 

We can’t wait, because women can’t wait. Reports continue to show that there has been an alarming increase in violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As well as changing how many people work COVID-19 has led to increased physical isolation, financial stress, higher levels of unemployment, underemployment, increased workload with no extra pay, increased alcohol and drug use and an increase in domestic and family violence. 

In response, the ASU has developed a new guide to "Working From Home - when home isn't safe". 

The ASU will continue to campaign for 10 days paid domestic violence leave until every worker can access this life saving leave.