Derbyshire charity urges companies to implement domestic abuse services
It comes as food giant Kellogg's announced a new domestic abuse policy last week, offering support to workers including extra paid leave
A Derbyshire domestic abuse charity want businesses to introduce a service to help affected staff.
It comes as food giant Kellogg's announced a new domestic abuse policy last week, offering support to workers including extra paid leave.
Last year 2.4 million adults were victims of Domestic Abuse here in the UK. Claire Vickers is from Glow in Derbyshire who offer support: "If you look around your own work place you can guarantee that there is going to people there who are victims of domestic abuse.
"To have a safe space at work, it might be your only safe space that you have in that day when you know you're not going to be hurt by the abuser.
"It's vital that companies have policies that set clear guidance out for somebody whose spoken to their manager about being a victim of domestic abuse."
Claire said the added holidays will be very helpful: "They may have left so now they're down to being a single parent as well in that relationship. They've got to juggle so much, if they've got children they have to juggle their school holidays and things like that.
"Just having that extra support that they can have these extra days because there may be police interviews, they may go on a freedom programme or have court dates."
Kellogg's said anyone suffering from the impact of domestic abuse will be entitled to an additional 10 days' paid leave, as well as financial help for an initial legal support meeting.
The business will also provide a one-off payment for expenses and costs incurred for setting up a new bank account, or any other activity that provides employees suffering domestic abuse with financial security.
The food company employs more than 1,360 people across the UK, at its head office in Manchester and its two factories based in Trafford and Wrexham, all of which will be covered by the new policy.
Kellogg's also provides access to a free 24-hour confidential counselling service and flexible working arrangements.
A Kellogg's employee who was a victim of domestic abuse and who wishes to remain anonymous said: "It took me a while to realise I was experiencing domestic abuse, but little by little your family and friends are not welcome in your home, you have no social life because going to visit them isn't an option and you become completely isolated.
"More and more frequently, you're told nothing you do is good enough and you're constantly walking on eggshells in your own home. If you don't do as they say, you provoke insults, anger and objects are thrown at you. Eventually, you are physically abused to the point where you fear for your life."
Michelle Hill, chief executive of the charity Talk, Listen, Change, said: "Kellogg's has created a supportive policy with key elements that will enable its staff to feel safe and confident in disclosing domestic abuse.
"The new domestic abuse policy not only commits to supporting employees, but also to increasing awareness of domestic abuse through resources.
"We know that the stress and trauma that come with domestic abuse have a profound effect on victim-survivors. Kellogg's has demonstrated, as an organisation, that they are committed to supporting victim-survivors to the best of their ability."