Government department champions new support for victims of domestic abuse

Business department joins Employers' Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) and calls on more businesses to do the same.

From:

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Paul Scully MP

• Business department joins the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) as a Beacon member and calls on more businesses to sign up
• Business Minister Paul Scully: “This simple step could have a life-changing impact on domestic abuse survivors”
• builds on the government’s work to increase support for survivors of domestic abuse in the workplace

As part of a wider look at what employers can do to enhance the support for domestic abuse survivors, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has now joined the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) as a Beacon member.

Becoming an EIDA Beacon will increase the

support for employees who may have been victims or at risk of domestic abuse, by raising awareness and education among staff, as well as providing additional resources and advice.

The announcement follows a wider BEIS consultation, aimed at increasing support for victims of domestic abuse across the UK, including a recent report in January 2021 looking at workplace support.

The report found that few employers have been aware of the signs of domestic abuse, and an even smaller number have a clear policy in place to support survivors.

Joining EIDA is a quick and free step employers can take towards furthering their support for victims of domestic abuse.

Business Minister Paul Scully said:

Home should always be a safe place, but for many this sadly isn’t the case. For anyone experiencing or at risk from domestic abuse, I want to make sure help and support is readily available to them in the workplace.

No one should have to suffer in silence, and that’s why my department is joining the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse to ensure employees get the support they need. I would urge more businesses to join this important initiative, as this simple step could have a life-changing impact on domestic abuse survivors.

The benefits of becoming an EIDA Beacon include:

• access to a suite of training and development, including access to specialists who can offer a strategic review of domestic abuse and action for the department
• dedicated account management to implement HR processes and procedures to support victims, survivors, and potential perpetrators

BEIS joins several organisations already part of the Beacon programme. For more details on the current membership, please see the EIDA website.

Earlier this year, in an open letter to all UK employers, Minister Scully outlined key steps they can take to build awareness of domestic abuse and ensure they are noticing warning signs, and help workers access the support they need.

Elizabeth Filkin CBE, Chair of the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse said:

We are delighted to welcome the Department for Business to the EIDA network. We also thank the Minister and his team for all they have already done to raise awareness of the role of employers in tackling domestic abuse.

Working with government, charities, and opinion formers to stop domestic abuse and to get help for victims, there has been much progress in recognising the scale and impact of abuse and what steps business can take to stop it. But there is more to do. The BEIS contribution to our network will enable us to make great strides forward toward our aim of ending domestic abuse once and for all.