Firms urged to take up the fight

BUSINESSES need to join the fight against domestic violence. That was the message delivered at St James to an audience of nearly 200 delegates who had travelled from the UK, the other Channel Islands and the Isle of Man and as far afield as Belgium and Pakistan for the fifth annual 'Raising the Standards' UK conference.

The topic, this year themed 'Domestic Abuse: The Costs and Consequences to Business and Society - A Community and Corporate Response', attracted senior political and legal figures including Attorney-General for England and Wales Baroness Scotland and Barnsley's district judge, Marilyn Mornington, who founded 'Raising the Standards' and is a renowned figure in tackling family violence.

'I think from all the figures we've seen, Guernsey has a comparable problem - but it's a global problem,' said Baroness Scotland.

'Many people are afraid of going to employers and quite often they've been brainwashed against telling anyone,' she said.

'It's a wonderful thing that we've been able to demonstrate that we can change the paradigm of domestic violence that we've been living with for so long,' she said.

The baroness said that a 'quantum leap' of progress had been made as a result of the work of the national Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence, which reports that lost economic output resulting from domestic abuse suffered by staff costs British Isles businesses nearly £3bn.

Baroness Scotland added that there was evidence the organisation was reaching goals in the reduction of the level of domestic homicides and an increase in reporting of domestic violence incidents.

The baroness said that in the year 2003-4, when she had first chaired the association, 43 people had died in the UK as a result of domestic abuse.

The following year that number had fallen to 37 and in 2005-6 it was down to 19.

As a result of domestic violence incidents this year, she said, only four people had died.

She said that it was important to remember the concept to which current chairwoman of the UK Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence, Fiona Bowman - herself a domestic violence survivor - had referred during her talk at St James.

'It's important to recognise the symptoms, to be able to do something about it and to refer people on,' Baroness Scotland said.

'We have to ensure that people know it's OK to speak out about domestic violence.'

Asked what could be done to help victims, she said that phone numbers could be changed and that colleagues could walk victims out of their work building to their transport home.

'Things like this are in the employer's ability to change.'

She said that employers should be on the lookout for signs their staff might be a victim of abuse other than just black eyes and bruises.

'For example, in summer people wearing high or turtlenecks, staff always running to the loo, or repeatedly turning up for work late,' she said.

Baroness Scotland added that there were non-confrontational ways that employers could assist their staff in getting help, such as displaying leaflets or posters in the workplace toilets.

'The problem is people won't always want to talk about it,' she said.

'Very often victims are not allowed to be on their own.'

Event organising committee member Stuart Le Maitre said that the committee was delighted to have attracted so many prominent people from the UK to the event.

'The committee sees this as something positive from which Guernsey can embrace the issues raised.'

* Business people wishing to get involved in the fight against domestic violence or wanting to view workplace strategy templates, should visit:

www.corporateallianceuk.com and www.raisingthestandardsinitiative.com