Research Team
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Dr Mihajla Gavin
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Professor Kantha Dayaram (Curtin)
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Dr Renata Casado (UWA)
Sustainable Development Goals
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8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
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10. Reduced Inequalities
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5. Gender Equality
- Posted on 2 Oct 2025
Domestic violence, traditionally viewed as a private matter confined to the home, is a pervasive challenge that transcends personal boundaries, tipping into workplaces as well as the broader economy. This understanding has led to increased recognition about the role employers can play in supporting victim-survivors and fostering safe, inclusive work environments.
The challenge
According to the Personal Safety Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, released in 2023, one in four women in Australia have experienced violence by an intimate partner or family member since the age of 15. This calls for urgent and comprehensive action across all levels of society, including the workplace.
Activists, trade unions, and not-for-profit organizations have long campaigned for the inclusion of paid family and domestic violence leave in workplace policies. While such advocacy has shifted how workplaces view their place in responding to domestic violence, many organisations still face uncertainty about their obligations and how to best support affected employees. To ensure the safety of workers and employees, the challenge now lies in understanding how to implement laws and enact policies within the workplace that most effectively respond to domestic violence.
Solution
Researchers from the UTS Business School, Curtin University, and the University of Western Australia utilized surveys and in-depth interviews to explore workplace awareness about domestic violence leave. They examined how employees can access this leave and how workplaces frame their responsibilities in addressing domestic violence. The study also investigated the challenges and barriers in providing support to victim-survivors, such as lack of awareness among staff, concerns about confidentiality, and limited resources for effective implementation.
Drawing on experiences from multiple sectors, including employers, government agencies, not-for-profit organisations and trade unions as well as earlier research with Victoria University of Wellington, this research provides insights into how workplaces develop and implement policies addressing domestic violence.
Outcome and Impact
By integrating domestic violence leave policies and fostering a culture of awareness and responsibility, workplaces can play a pivotal role in offering safe and supportive environments. Our findings have improved awareness and understanding of employers' responsibilities towards victims of domestic violence, helped to identify gaps in the implementation of workplace policies and offered recommendations as to how workplaces can better support employees. These steps highlight the significance of the workplace as part of a broader system of support to effectively respond to domestic violence
Collaborate with us
Find out about research collaboration with the UTS Business School.
Research Outputs
Journal Articles
- Gavin, M., & Weatherall, R. (2022). Domestic Violence and Work: Setting a Workplace Agenda. Labour and Industry, 32(4), 339-348. https://doi.org/10.1080/10301763.2023.2171682
- Weatherall, R., Gavin, M., & Thorburn, N. (2021). Safeguarding women at work? Lessons from Aotearoa New Zealand on effectively implementing domestic violence policies. Journal of Industrial Relations, 63(4), 568-590. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022185621996766
Books
- Gavin, M., & Ellicott, S. (2025). Domestic violence leave laws: Assessing their effectiveness for addressing domestic violence and gender inequality. In S. Williamson, J. Parker, N. Donnelly, M. Gavin, & S. Ressia (Eds.), Research handbook on gender, work and employment relations (pp. 191-207). Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Gavin, M., & Weatherall, R. (2025). Domestic violence and work. In J. Helms Mills, A. J. Mills, K. S. Williams, & R. Bendl (Eds.), Elgar encyclopedia of gender in management (pp. 115–117). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Media
- Workplace Express. (2025, February 10). Experts canvass reasons for low FDV leave uptake. Workplace Express. https://www.workplaceexpress.com.au/news/experts-canvass-reasons-for-low-fdv-leave-uptake-80162
- Gavin, M., & Weatherall, R. (2023, January 14). Workplace support for DV victims slow in coming. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/workplace-support-for-dv-victims-slow-in-coming-20221124-p5c0y2.html
- Gavin, M., & Weatherall, R. (2021, April 22). HR’s role in preventing domestic violence in Australia. HRM Online. https://www.hrmonline.com.au/topics/hr-policies-and-procedures/hr-prevent-family-domestic-violence/
- Weatherall, R., Gavin, M., & Thorburn, N. (2021, April 6). Domestic violence shock waves reach way beyond the home. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/domestic-violence-shock-waves-reach-way-beyond-the-home-20210401-p57fqr.html
- Aitken, A (Host). (2025, April 23). From policy to practice: DV in the workplace [Audio podcast episode]. In Think: Business Futures. 2SER. https://omny.fm/shows/think-business-futures/from-policy-to-practice-dv-in-the-workplace-1
- Gavin, M., & Ellicott, S. (2025, June 24). Domestic violence in the workplace: When the laws don’t work. The Interpreter (The Lowy Institute). https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/domestic-violence-workplace-when-laws-don-t-work
Conference Presentations
- Gavin, M., Casado, R., & Dayaram, K. (2025, February 3–5). Family and domestic violence leave in workplaces: Evaluating access and effectiveness. Paper presented at the AIRAANZ Conference, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Gavin, M., & Weatherall, R. (2024, January 31–February 2). Safety at work? Assessing organisational responses to domestic violence during a global pandemic. Paper presented at the AIRAANZ Conference, Perth, Western Australia.
Speaking Engagements
- Gavin, M. (2024, March 6). Designing safe, respectful, equitable and inclusive workplaces [Keynote address]. Ku-ring-gai Council International Women’s Day Forum.
- Gavin, M. (2025, September 9). From policy to practice: Domestic violence in the workplace [Conference presentation]. Annual Women’s Conference, Public Service Association/CPSU NSW.
Public Submissions
- Gavin, M., & Weatherall, R. (2024). Submission to the Independent Review of the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Act 2022 (Cth) (Submission No. 9) [Public submission]. https://www.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/documents/fair-work/Sub09_GavinWeatherall_6%20Jul%2024.pdf
- Gavin, M., & Weatherall, R. (2021). Submission to the Review of the Workplace Gender Equality Act commissioned by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Submission No. 62) [Public submission]. https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/submissions/submission-62-mihajla-gavin-ruth-weatherall-university-of-technology-sydney.pdf
Researchers
Senior Lecturer, Business School
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