This post was inspired by the article “Even if They Don’t Realize It, Companies Can Help Combat Gender-Based Violence,” written by Dr. Alejandra Selma Penalva, Professor of Labor Law and Social Security at the University of Murcia. Read the full article here.
We often tend to think of gender-based violence as a personal issue that remains within the domestic sphere and about which little can be done from other environments. But this belief is far from true: companies can do much more than they think to help combat gender-based violence.
One of the most important factors in strengthening the fight against gender-based violence is achieving the economic independence of victims, and here organizations and companies have a crucial role to play. According to official figures, fewer than 30% of victims of gender-based violence have sufficient income to support themselves without family assistance. In many cases, this economic dependence prevents victims from using the protection systems available within our legal framework.
The workplace: a key space for promoting economic independence
Protective measures for victims of gender-based violence that can be implemented in the workplace are essential for the prevention and eradication of gender-based violence.
In addition to the rights already recognized by law (such as schedule adaptations, transfers, or contract termination at the victim’s request, among others), companies can introduce additional measures that, at no cost or at very low cost, help promote the economic independence of victims of gender-based violence..
Below we share five measures any company can implement to help combat gender-based violence:
1. Information and Awareness
Often, affected individuals are not only unaware of the rights granted to them by law as victims of gender-based violence, but also frequently unfamiliar with the concept of gender-based violence itself. This lack of knowledge means they may not trust the system enough to seek help in extreme situations or may not know how to do so.
Companies can therefore provide general information to all employees about the concept of gender-based violence, its possible manifestations, reporting procedures, and existing workplace protection measures.
2. Vacancy Prioritization
Companies wishing to do so may establish, through collective bargaining, hiring priorities to support women who are victims of gender-based violence.
This measure not only contributes to improving diversity within the company, but may also generate important social security incentives linked to the employment contract.
3. Action Protocols
Anti-harassment protocols are already standard documents integrated into many companies’ systems, often as part of equality plans. Creating a specific protocol for action or prevention in cases of gender-based violence is another measure companies can adopt to support victims.
These protocols are especially useful whether the potential aggressor is external to the company or maintains any kind of relationship with it. When designing such protocols, it is crucial to ensure that measures taken to keep the aggressor away from the victim do not result in harm to the woman. It is also important to guarantee the presumption of innocence for the alleged aggressor and the full confidentiality of both parties’ data.
4. Work-Life Balance Measures
This includes remote work or telework, schedule adaptations, reduced working hours (with proportional pay reduction), or flexibility in choosing vacation periods.
Although some of these issues may seem trivial, in a case of gender-based violence, where a woman may be forced to take care of her sons and daughters on her own. Therefore, the flexibility the company offers her to achieve work-life balance has a great impact on her job stability and economic independence.
5. Workplace Safety
The concept of “gender-sensitive architecture” is becoming increasingly common. This refers to architectural design that seeks to create safe spaces, especially for women, by redesigning urban environments. In practical terms, this can include avoiding dark or hard-to-access areas near building entrances or parking lots, ensuring adequate lighting in pathways, buildings, and facilities, and avoiding the creation of hostile environments.
These are just some of the initiatives any company can implement at no cost or at very low cost to help combat gender-based violence. For more information, see the article “Even if they don’t realize it, companies can help combat gender-based violence”.
