Milton Keynes Council has adopted a charter by GMB Union to better support those suffering from domestic abuse.
The charter means that the Council has agreed to uphold the five key principles held within the charter, they are:
- Support employees who are experiencing Domestic Abuse to access support services and information confidentially.
- Ensure that those experiencing Domestic Abuse will not be disadvantaged within the terms and conditions of their employment and will take all reasonable measures to facilitate any needs in the workplace.
- Commit to working/participating with other organisations to facilitate best support for those experiencing Domestic Abuse.
- Provide all employees with access to toolkits, information and our policies on domestic abuse, in a format that is easily and discretely accessible within the workplace.
- Ensure that we have employees trained across our organisation, to provide adequate access to support within the workplace for all employees. Staff trained should be representative of our workplace and will include line managers and Trade Union representatives.
GMB explain that domestic abuse doesn’t just has consequences in the home, but outside of it, with those suffering from it more likely to get into debt, lose their job or even end up homeless and with one in four women and one in six men experiencing it throughout their lifetime, employers must take action to ensure that work can be a safe haven for victims.
Cllr Peter Marland, Leader of MK Council, said:
“One in four women and one in six men suffer at some point from domestic abuse. The impact can be devastating. MK Council is committed to reducing the overall level of domestic abuse and tackling the results of abuse.
“It starts with being a good employer and ensuring our own staff are helped if in that situation, and that they are trained to spot the signs of domestic abuse where it may be happening and what to do in those circumstances.”
