Employers' Initiative on Domestic Abuse

A very warm welcome to our two new Trustees! We can't wait to take EIDA's work forward with their support🌹 Sam Ali is a Digital Programme Consultant for Cwmpas, delivering fully funded programmes to third sector organisations. She is Non-Executive Director at CDPS, and her board specialisms are EDI, and Comms & Engagement. Sam has been a Live Fear Free Ambassador for the past five years and has been working in the VAWDASV area for several years, and enjoys collaborating with other VAWDASV agencies to help eradicate VAWDASV. Sam has a strong commercial background working with cross-sector organisation from SMEs to large corporates. Her specialisms are Digital Transformations, and Partnership Engagement and Management. Fay Wilberforce (She/Her) is a Global Talent Leader with extensive experience in the tech sector. She has spearheaded DEIB programs and strategies throughout her career, demonstrating a strong commitment to building and fostering inclusive workplaces. Originating from the North East of England, Fay is particularly passionate about dedicating her efforts to creating equitable opportunities for under-represented people in the industry. Her leadership is marked by a deep commitment to driving positive change and supporting diversity at all levels. They join our Board alongside Sarah Newton, Helen Lamprell OBE, Andrew Chadd, Tahani Saridar, Oli Housden, Steve Maule, Patrick. Ryan, and Pamela Zaballa. You can get to know our Team, Board, and Advisory Council here: https://lnkd.in/eCuUw5nn

A very nuanced and important piece in The Guardian on the insidious crime of coercive control. While coercive control was criminalised in 2015, understanding of this form of domestic abuse is still low, and in many ways it is considered a "lesser" crime than physical violence. This has left many victim-survivors feeling invisible and unable to fully communicate the severity of their experience. We need to end the stigma and spotlight the serious harms victim-survivors endure. Coercive control can take many forms, but it broadly includes actions that makes a person subordinate or dependent. For example, by isolating them, exploiting their resources for personal gain, regulating their behaviour or depriving them of their independence https://lnkd.in/eVi5stsR

Very positive news in The Guardian on financial services supporting victim-survivors of economic abuse. Thank you to our sector partner Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) for their excellent work in this space. This new form will hopefully be an important step to help those impacted by economic abuse regain their financial independence and wellbeing, and help raise awareness among financial service providers. https://lnkd.in/eZgzUQJz

Our membership has officially passed 1700! We are so encouraged by the amount of UK employers wanting to help tackle domestic abuse and protect their own employees. EIDA membership is free, because we would never want cost to be a hinderance for small businesses to implement a domestic abuse response. If you support our work, please consider donating to EIDA. Every donation helps our small team to continue working towards our goal: for every UK employer to take action against #DomesticAbuse. https://lnkd.in/d2uRu6wA

Domestic abuse is a difficult and heavy topic. The news is full of horrific cases detailing the killing and abuse of women and men across the UK, and combating this insidious issue can sometimes feel like fighting an uphill battle. But if you ask anyone working with domestic abuse what keeps them going, it is the inspirational stories of survivors who have rebuilt their lives after abuse; the encouragement and dedication of colleagues across the sector and beyond; and not least, the fundamental belief that change is not just possible - but that it is happening right now. We are proud to work alongside the courageous survivors and the inspirational champions of change across our partner organisations in the UK. Our 1600 employer members are leading the way for a major societal shift towards a world where domestic abuse is not tolerated. Please reach out to us if there is anything EIDA can do to help your organisation tackle #domesticabuse.

Please note down this important day in your calendars! 7 November is Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day 2024. Male victim-survivors of domestic abuse often feel a sense of shame and stigma, and can struggle to find good support. We want to remind all employers and our other followers that there are dedicated organisations out there that work with men impacted by domestic abuse. We encourage you to use the hashtag #MenYouAreNotAlone to demonstrate that your workplace domestic abuse response is inclusive of all employees regardless of their gender. Remember that domestic abuse can happen to anyone, and that supporting those affected can make a world of difference. https://lnkd.in/evg_4aTn

Congratulations to our trailblazing Ambassador, Sharon Livermore MBE on her new collaboration with Refuge, which will now host Sharon's Policy on their site. Sharon's Policy is a free domestic abuse policy template that can be adapted to any organisation's needs. It is one of EIDA's most viewed resources and is used by many of our 1600 members. Many employers find that having a policy as a cornerstone of their domestic abuse response helps them shape and guide the rest of their work. If you haven't already looked at Sharon's Policy, do so now!

Help us share this useful guide from NO MORE. It provides victim-survivors of #domesticabuse and #sexualviolence with detailed information on recognising abuse, accessing counselling, legal aid, and other resources, and finding inspiration to rebuild their lives after abuse. Someone experiencing domestic abuse can feel extremely isolated. Many don't know that they are experiencing domestic abuse, that they have legal lights, and that there is lots of help out there for them. We hope that by making resources such a this one known, we help spread awareness that can positively impact someone's life.

"High-powered lawyer Lara appeared to have it all. The first female corporate partner in her law firm’s history, she was an “archetypal strong business woman” who had made a name for herself in the cut-throat world of dealmaking. But behind the scenes she was starting to realise that she was in an abusive relationship with her husband – an outwardly charming, high-powered finance executive who had her living in terror." A great article in The Telegraph with a quote from our CEO, Susan Bright, on how domestic abuse also impacts senior employees in large corporations, and how implementing a domestic abuse response in the workplace saves lives. We want to debunk the myth that #domesticabuse only happens to certain types of people in certain circumstances. Domestic abuse can and does happen to anyone, regardless of their levels of seniority and success, and regardless of how strong and capable they appear at work. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/etvd4xSC

Welcome to our new followers! A quick re-introduction to EIDA is in order. We are the UK's only member network for employers who want to help tackle domestic abuse. Our mission is to equip employers to support their employees affected by domestic abuse and to share best practice with other employers. We endeavour to bring about constructive change, leading to a society where survivors thrive, and where domestic abuse is not tolerated. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about joining EIDA, if you just joined and don't know where to start, or if you've been a member for a while and want some new ideas on how to raise awareness and improve your workplace response to domestic abuse. We are here to help! Best wishes from the EIDA team: Susan, Ayesha, Catherine, and Kristin.