Better practice in responding to family violence

Energy and water retailers are not expected to be experts in providing family violence support and services. Community sector organisations can provide expert advice on how organisations respond to family violence. Using the knowledge and experience of specialist family violence organisations, and the victim-survivors they work with, ensures the strategy and policy will meet the needs of both the organisation and customers who are victim-survivors of family violence.

Trained victim-survivor advocates can also provide input and feedback (as well as speaking opportunities) on policy development. Drawing on their lived experience they are well placed to advise businesses of the impact a particular approach may have for a victim-survivor. Programs like the Speaking Out Program at Women’s Health East can work with businesses to arrange appropriate advice and input.

An effective strategy can be developed through collaboration with internal and external partners, bringing together people from multiple disciplines to consider how it should be implemented. For example:

• Konica Minolta consulted the University of New South Wales and the Women’s Legal Service of Queensland to ensure its policy would address the needs of both victim-survivors and perpetrators appropriately. PwC Australia’s family violence policy was informed by consulting external experts, including domestic violence service providers and Kate Jenkins, Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner.
• Coliban Water worked to ensure its approach was safe for customers and staff by engaging a local family violence service provider to get advice when developing its family violence policy. Coliban Water’s frontline staff commented that they were more confident to respond to victim-survivors and perpetrators of family violence as a result of this work.
   

Case study - Coliban Water

Coliban Water sought expert advice from the Centre for Non-Violence in Bendigo. The centre provided accredited training to Coliban Water staff to ensure that they could respond respectfully to customers who disclose their experience of family violence. It also had valuable resources for staff at Coliban Water to help them respond to victim-survivors and perpetrators of family violence. Coliban Water worked with the Centre for Non-Violence again to provide feedback on a brochure they had developed on their commitment to customers who are victim-survivors of family violence.