ABC News (AU)
· collected 2026-10-05 · by Thomas Morgan and Rudi Maxwell
Research by the Humans for Purpose Academy reveals significant disparities between employers' perceptions and abuse survivors' experiences regarding workplace support. While 85% of employers believe they have a duty to help employees dealing with family and domestic violence (FDV), only 8% of FDV survivors felt their employer assisted them effectively. Additionally, while 71% of employers feel confident in handling such situations, just 34% of victims knew about the entitlement to 10 days of paid leave for FDV. The report calls for a national employer compact and expanded government-backed incentives to bridge this gap.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A new study by the Humans for Purpose Academy reveals a significant disparity between survivors of domestic violence (DV) and their employers regarding workplace support. Only 8% of DV survivors reported feeling supported at work, despite 71% of employers believing they could effectively assist employees dealing with such issues. The research also indicates that while 85% of employers acknowledge their responsibility to help staff experiencing abuse, 89% of survivors have reservations about disclosing their situation due to fear or lack of awareness. Additionally, the study found that just 34% of DV victims were aware of their entitlement to 10 days paid leave for family and domestic violence, highlighting a critical gap in support for those seeking to escape abusive situations. The report recommends dedicated funding to map employment opportunities for women escaping abuse, industry-led communication of good practices, and the establishment of a national employer compact to promote DV-safe employment environments.
Written for “Workplace Abuse Support Gap” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning: leans strongly left for article 58332 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-05
In short:
Research by the Humans for Purpose Academy has found the vast majority of survivors felt inadequately supported by their workplaces as they escaped domestic and family violence (DFV).
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they → find → violence
The report found major gaps that employers can address to help women, including better informing women about access to DFV leave.
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employers → find → leave
It found that women in migrant and minority communities faced bigger challenges in getting support.
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women → find → support
Just 8 per cent of domestic violence (DV) survivors said their employer helped them manage the impact on their work, a new study finds, while 71 per cent of employers felt confident they would know what to do.
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they → say → what
Research by the Humans for Purpose Academy, published today, also found that despite 85 per cent of employers recognising their duty to support staff experiencing abuse, some 89 per cent of survivors had deep concerns about revealing their situation to their boss, or did not disclose at all.
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cent → publish → boss
The report, which highlights the gap between survivors' experience at work and how employers view workplace culture, also found that just 34 per cent of victims were aware of their entitlement to 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave.
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cent → highlight → leave
Report author and chief executive Melanie Greblo, who is herself a survivor of DV, said the research demonstrated a need for governments and businesses to play a role in helping women through such periods.
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governments → say → periods
The organisation recommended a new national employer compact, expanded reporting and further government-backed incentives.
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organisation → recommend → compact
"Most employers feel confident that they know what to do if a staff member was experiencing domestic violence, but only one in 12 survivors say their workplace actually stepped in to help them manage the impact of their experience on their work," she said.
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she → feel → work
Ms Greblo said one "huge gap" was that only a third of survivors surveyed knew that Australian employees were entitled to 10 days of leave, while more than 70 per cent of employers were aware of it.
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cent → say → it
"So the report really calls on business, government and the community at large to come together to really focus on employment as that lever for recovery," she said.
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she → call → recovery
The Humans of Purpose Academy report made five recommendations in total:
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report → make → total
- Dedicated research funding to map employment opportunities for women escaping DV
- Industry to lead and communicate good employer practice, with expanded government reporting
- Establish a national employer compact for DV-safe employment
- A pilot scheme incentivising small and medium businesses to complete DV workplace training
- Scale up existing, proven recovery-to-employment programs that support women to access safe, secure and sustainable employment
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that → dedicate → employment
Greblo said the research showed that ongoing employment was "a part of recovery" from DV, rather than "an outcome of recovery".
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employment → say → recovery
"We know that employment is critical because of the income it provides to workers, but for survivors of domestic violence, it also supports them in rebuilding a lot of other things like their self-confidence," she said.
"
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she → know → confidence
It gives them a social connection and a whole lot of other benefits of being employed that many of us take for granted."
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many → give → us
Minorities more vulnerable
Ms Greblo said DV survivors were often juggling legal proceedings, counselling and supporting children who had experienced trauma while trying to gain or maintain work.
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who → say → work
"I think what we have is a misconception in Australia that leaving a violent relationship is the finishing line, and sadly, it's not,"she said.
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it → think → relationship
"But reaching that point of safety doesn't restore your income, it doesn't restore your confidence, your career or your financial independence overnight.
"
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it → reach → confidence
So we really need to start treating safe, sustainable employment as part of domestic violence recovery."
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we → need → recovery
She said women from minority communities were more vulnerable to a lack of support from employers and were less knowledgeable about ways to find help.
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women → say → help
"Those barriers are compounded if you are a migrant woman who's newly arrived in Australia or has arrived in Australia and since left the partner who she came with," Ms Greblo said.
"
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Greblo → compound → who
The Aporia
