Support system to help women
ACCORDING to data, domestic violence is not limited to any group and women are overwhelmingly more likely to be victims of physical, sexual or other forms of violence by a partner.
ANZ regional executive for the Pacific Sarah Stubbings said domestic or family violence was a widespread social problem that affected people from all walks of life regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexuality or socioeconomic status.
“As a major employer across the Pacific, we believe it is important for ANZ to have support in place for our people affected by domestic violence,” Ms Stubbings said.
She said a new platform was being made available to affected ANZ staff, to apply for two new financial grants easy to access.
These benefits would complement comprehensive support that was already available for ANZ staff across the Pacific.
Support available at ANZ includes flexible working arrangements, 10 days of paid special leave each year, assistance for temporary or emergency housing and legal advice.
Additional measures that could also be used include accessing the employee assistance program for free and confidential counselling, altering the employee’s work telephone number and removing employee’s contact details from internal listings.
Ms Stubbings said no matter where a person lived in the world, everyone deserved a home that was safe and free from violence.
“Domestic violence is often a hidden problem across the Pacific.
“We want to remove the stigma and have the right support in place for our people.
“Variations could be to their hours or days of work, place of work, duties of work, or to other terms of their employment, which ANZ will seek to accommodate under its flexible working policy and respond to as quickly as possible.”