Ignored domestic violence crisis in the workforce

MONTREAL — In the humid Indonesian heat, I saw dozens of men on motorcycles lingering outside the gates of the garment factory, their children hanging off their shoulders, waiting for their partners to finish their shifts. These men, many of whom had no business of their own, came to pick up the women who were the breadwinners of their families.

Women form the backbone of the economy in Sukabumi, where the main employers are garment factories and their workers are predominantly women. But these women still frequently experience violence both at work and at home, and their employers can and should do much more to help.

“Almost all married women in my village are subjected to domestic violence,” said a garment worker. Another said domestic violence was an open secret in her village, a harsh reality of being a married woman and breadwinner.

Human Rights Watch has documented horrific human rights violations suffered by women working in garment factories in Asian countries, where low wages, grueling working hours, unsafe working conditions, verbal abuse and harassment are often common, and sexual harassment of female workers in the workplace is rampant. .

But when these women go home, many also face another form of abuse: domestic violence, driven by resentment at the perception that they are subverting gender roles by becoming breadwinners.

This pattern is not unique to Indonesia or female garment workers. Research in Bangladesh has shown an association between working women and their exposure to domestic violence, especially among women who marry young or have lower levels of education.

A study across several countries in Africa found that female employment was “positively associated with the likelihood of being abused” at home. New research in Australia has shown that women who earn more than their male partners are 33 percent more likely to experience domestic violence.

While financial independence may be a protective factor against domestic violence, in societies dominated by patriarchal attitudes, women who are breadwinners disrupt traditional domestic power dynamics and may face backlash from their husbands as men use violence to reassert control.

This violence can manifest itself in the form of controlling a woman’s income, physical beating and sexual violence, psychological and verbal harassment.

The fight to end domestic violence needs to include an effort to transform understandings of gender roles, and employers have an important role to play in this effort, and increasingly an obligation to do so.

After years of campaigning by activists and labor movements, and as the #MeToo movement grew, the International Labor Organization adopted a new Convention on Violence and Harassment (C190) in 2019, which includes requirements for employers to mitigate the harm of domestic violence. . Although Indonesia and Bangladesh have not yet ratified the convention, 45 countries have ratified it and the number is growing.

While employers implement internal policies to combat gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace, especially in industries where women hold the majority of jobs, they also need to recognize their important role in helping workers experiencing domestic violence.

This is not a separate issue and the effects of domestic violence are not limited to the home. Domestic violence affects employee well-being; affecting their health, safety and long-term performance at work. In some cases he literally follows them to work.

During my investigation, I interviewed witnesses who said they saw a woman being physically assaulted by her husband just outside the garment factory before starting her shift. By recognizing this connection, employers can take meaningful steps to protect their workforce from all forms of violence and create a safer environment for women both inside and outside of work.

Researchers have documented a link between a woman’s bargaining power and her security in the home. Employers can play a vital role in helping women protect themselves by providing a supportive environment that provides tangible help in the workplace.

Measures such as flexible working arrangements, paid leave for victims of domestic violence and temporary protection against dismissal, set out in the International Labor Organisation’s Recommendation 206 to the Convention on Violence and Harassment, can serve as a critical lifeline by empowering women with the option to leave abusive situations. In this way, employers not only increase women’s bargaining power, but also actively contribute to the path out of violence.

Contrary to some views, domestic violence is not a private issue. According to the ILO convention, employers have a responsibility to help. This is a very important task; How an employer responds to a situation where one of its employees is subjected to domestic violence can have life or death consequences.

IPs

Negar Mohtashami Khojasteh works in the Women’s Rights Section of Human Rights Watch.