16 Days of Activism 2025 runs from 25th November to 19th December each year.

Our Watch shows that 75% of women compared to 44% of men agreed that if they were looking for a new job, the workplace’s approach to gender equality would be an important consideration and 83% of female and 67% of male employees agreed that they would consider leaving a job that didn’t treat workplace sexual harassment as a serious issue.

Why should your workplace care about family and domestic violence? Learn more about how you can support your employees and implement your responsibilities today.

In Australia, violence against women is called many different things, including domestic violence, family violence, intimate partner violence, coercive control, online abuse, stalking, workplace sexual harassment, street harassment and sexual assault. Our definition includes all these forms of violence against women*.

Family & domestic violence is “any abusive behaviour that is used to control someone in a family, family-like or intimate relationship, and makes that person afraid for their safety and wellbeing or the safety of another person” (Safe & Equal, 2025).

Certain people, identities and communities within Australia are at greater risk than others and experience violence that intersects with other forms of discrimination and disadvantage.

In Australia, approximately one woman is killed by her current or former partner every week, often after a history of family and domestic violence.

For employees, 30% of respondents to a 2011 survey on family and domestic violence and the workplace reported they had experienced violence, and 5% of those respondents had experienced violence in the last 12 months.

*Capacity for Change defines women as all people who identify and live as a woman, including cis gender, trans women and non-binary folk.

Why should workplaces support safety for people experiencing family and domestic violence?

Ending family violence is everyone’s business – and you have a crucial role to play. This 10 May, start the conversation. 

Ask. Listen. Believe.