Better practice in responding to family violence

This principle relating to prioritising safety and choice for victim-survivors considers how organisations can provide options and support that have a direct impact on a person’s ability to manage their personal and financial security. Organisations seeking to achieve this principle:

• show empathy to victims-survivors
• avoid requiring proof as an eligibility criteria for family violence assistance
• support the agency of victim-survivors
• minimise repeat disclosure
• protect private and confidential information
• respond to the financial impacts of family violence.

By applying this principle, businesses can avoid becoming another mechanism of abuse by the perpetrator and can promote the long-term personal and financial security of their customers.

In our research to measure the outcomes on customers of family violence support, a financial counsellor gave the following feedback:

“I think they’ve become more aware of what clients are going through and what they’re experiencing and they’re very mindful of their state of mind when clients call so they’re very empathetic when you contact them now whereas it wasn’t like that in the past.” – Financial counsellor