Breaking the silence – why domestic violence is a trade union issue

Domestic violence is widespread and has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The IUF is today launching Breaking the silence, a guide on why domestic violence is a trade union issue and how unions should deal with it. It draws strongly on materials developed by IUF affiliates.

Repercussions of domestic violence in the world of work include:

• workers’ health, safety and lives are at risk;
• workers suffering from domestic violence cannot leave their physical and psychological pain at home and can face disciplinary action and dismissal  because of ‘poor performance’;
• domestic violence can exacerbate gender inequalities and undermine solidarity among union members.

Welcoming the guide, Patricia Alonso, chair of the IUF Women’s Committee commented, “The unions’ role is to protect the members’ health and safety at work, defend them before employers, and fight against discrimination and gender inequalities. Unions also have a critical role to play in raising awareness around domestic violence prevention and ending a culture of gender inequalities at work and in society”.

Breaking the silence is available as a high resolution PDF or as an online version.