Making a difference in addressing Family and Sexual Violence in the workplace
Supporting the implementation of the Family & Sexual Violence Policy through training is a critical component of creating a safe and supportive environment for survivors, holding perpetrators accountable, making workplaces safe and conducive, and ultimately working towards the prevention of such violence.
The two-day BCFW FSV Workplace Contact Team training is aimed at ensuring individuals and organizations have the knowledge and skills needed to implement the policy effectively and handle complex and sensitive issues with care, compassion, and effectiveness.
Recognizing the importance of having well-trained employees to support the implementation of their company FSV Policy, 13 employees of Steamships Group of Companies representing key business units across the company undertook the training. The participants were trained to serve as FSV Workplace Contact Team members where their primary role is to support, guide and resource other employees who may be experiencing or have concerns related to family and sexual violence. The Workplace Contact Team members are important in facilitating the much-needed support to their colleagues and in doing so, create a safer and supportive work environment.
The training was an eye-opener and inspired these participants to champion change within their different circles of influence.
“I will carry out awareness and educate my colleagues about the company FSV policy so that they know who and where to go, to seek assistance,” Female participant.
“My key takeaway was on Applying the survivor-centered approach whenever someone discloses and the most appropriate action to take to support them is to provide them information and refer them to support measures offered through our company policy or to those available in the community” (Gender) participant.
Another milestone achieved was the launching of the Bel isi PNG Endline report by BCFW and International Finance Corporation during this quarter. The full report can be found on the IFC website through this link https://www.ifc.org/en/types/insights-reports/2023/family-sexual-violence-png
Some of the Key findings from this research include:
• From 2020 to 2022, support measures such as employee counseling and alternative work arrangements helped participating companies reduce lost workdays by 1.4 days a year per employee.
• The latest findings also suggest a correlation between increased training opportunities for employees and lower acceptability of violence, particularly among men. It found that nearly 90 percent of male respondents said that family and sexual violence is never acceptable, indicating positive behavioral changes.
• The study shows that depression, anxiety, and feelings of shame are the most common impacts of family and sexual violence reported by women and men.
• Women reported experiencing physical injury at twice the rate of men, with two in five women who experienced family and sexual violence reporting that physical injury impacted their ability to reach and stay at work.
Recommendations for companies:
1. Make full use of Bel isi subscription.
2. Encourage staff to use available support for family and sexual violence;
3. Boost bullying, harassment, and online violence policies and practices;
4. Allocate human and financial resources to respond to FSV.
Recommendations for Bel Isi partners:
1. Improve information-sharing and communication between staff and contact teams;
2. Strengthen training and awareness;
3. Develop tailored approaches to accommodate service users' various needs;
4. Promote gender equality.