Agreement secured with RM on domestic violence guidance

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Agreement secured with Royal Mail on domestic violence guidance http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/agreeme ... dance.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The CWU has secured an agreement with Royal Mail to introduce guidance for managers on how to support employees affected by domestic abuse.

The guide includes signposts for managers to look out for in employees who may be subject to domestic violence including vague, non-specific medical complaints and bruises, chronic headaches and abdominal pains.

In the UK, one in four women will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime.

National equalities officer Linda Roy, who campaigned to get this guidance in place for Royal Mail employees, said: "I am delighted that the postal department, with support from the equality department, has been able to secure an agreement with Royal Mail which offers vital guidance on the issue of domestic violence."

She continued: "It is clear that victims of domestic violence face major difficulties at work because of this and there is an obligation on the employers to take a proactive position to offer support to these vulnerable victims."

The union liaised with the Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence (CAADV) to ensure that the guidance issued by Royal Mail was comprehensive for employers and employees.

Linda encourages any victims of domestic violence to report it to someone, whether that is a manager, a union rep or a colleague: "This agreement will give vital signposting so victims of domestic violence can get support as soon as possible and not have to suffer in silence. Every week two women are killed as a result of domestic violence and this is an issue the CWU takes very seriously."

Download Royal Mail Domestic Violence guidance for more information.http://www.cwu.org/assets/_files/docume ... _Guide.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Red Robbo]

Well done Linda for securing an agreement, a postwoman from our office suffered domestic violence, sadly she's dead now.

[estelle]

Ok, so, has anyone else actually read the documentation and guidelines?

They are very non gender specific - the reason - not only Women face domestic violence.

For the love of god, why has this been cascaded in such a way that it's aimed only at helping women? Not knowing figures at all, but using just my office, there are mostly men there.

Why is the actual importance of this being lost?

Please note I'm not complaining to anyone here because I know it isn't relevant, but still - what on earth...

[Red Robbo]

Ok, so, has anyone else actually read the documentation and guidelines?

They are very non gender specific - the reason - not only Women face domestic violence.

For the love of god, why has this been cascaded in such a way that it's aimed only at helping women? Not knowing figures at all, but using just my office, there are mostly men there.

Why is the actual importance of this being lost?

Please note I'm not complaining to anyone here because I know it isn't relevant, but still - what on earth...

Estelle, good point,not only women face domestic violence in the home, to my knowledge there are no Refuge homes for men to go to when they encounter domestic violence and that's from male and female partners.