More New Zealand women disclose abuse at work

Women’s Refuge research in New Zealand shows an increasing number of women are telling their employers about experiencing family violence.

Eight years ago, the Domestic Violence - Victim’s Protection Act granted those affected by family violence the right to up to ten days of paid leave annually and flexible work arrangements. Women’s Refuge advisor Holly Carrington noted the law has increased employer awareness of family violence as a workplace issue.

The organisation compared surveys from 2019 and 2024 and found the number of women using paid family violence leave rose from 9 percent to nearly 34 percent. Additionally, more women reported their workplace’s response made them safer, increasing from 20 percent to 62 percent. Workplaces can help by maintaining confidentiality and preventing perpetrators from contacting employees or entering company property.

However, University of Auckland associate professor Carrie Leonetti pointed out that over a third of women still do not feel safer after disclosing abuse to their employer. Leonetti and others advocate for workplaces to accept a woman’s disclosure as sufficient proof of violence, rather than demanding documentation, as many instances of abuse are not physical. Experts also emphasize the need to reduce the shame and stigma surrounding family violence to encourage more women to seek help.