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Domestic and Family Violence Support2025-07-07T16:11:16+10:00

Domestic and Family Violence

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    Emergency contacts

    TELUS Health (formerly Benestar) DFV line
    Ph:1300 574 516

    DV Connect – 24hr availability
    1800 811 811

    White Ribbon Workplace

    Metro North is a White Ribbon Workplace

    Domestic and family violence is a workplace issue

    Metro North Hospital and Health Service is committed to building a safe workplace that promotes respectful relationships and gender equality and demonstrates a culture of zero tolerance of violence against women, with a workforce that better recognises and responds to violence against women and family violence.

    Violence against women is a serious, prevalent and preventable issue in Australia. Violence against women – whether it occurs in or beyond the workplace – impacts on the health and safety of employees, their wellbeing and their productivity. It impacts negatively on workplace culture, organisational reputation and bottom-line profit and loss.

    We will encourage and educate our staff so that we can drive social and cultural change to stop violence before it starts – stop it at the start. We recognise that everyone has a role to play in challenging the drivers of violence where they live, work, learn and play.

    It’s in our control to end coercive control

    Get involved

    Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month | May 2025

    Take positive action today to build a safer Queensland.

    Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Prevention Month Each May, Queensland marks Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Prevention Month. This annual initiative aims to raise awareness of domestic and family violence and coercive control, highlight the support services available, and send a clear message that violence in our communities will not be tolerated.

    The theme for 2025 is: Take positive action today to build a safer Queensland.

    Get involved

    Violence against women What are the statistics?

    FAQs

    There is a lot of information available on both the Department of Health and MNHHS QHEPS sites. Sometimes, a lot of information can become confusing. To assist in understanding some common questions relevant to supporting staff experiencing domestic and family violence, please read the Frequently Asked Questions.

    Domestic and family violence occurs when one personin a relationship uses violence and abuse to maintain power and control over the other person. This can include behaviour that is physically, sexually, emotionally, psychologically or economically abusive, threatening, coercive, or aimed at controlling or dominating the other person through fear.DFV can affect people of all cultures, religions, ages, genders, sexual orientations, educational backgrounds and income levels.

    Be aware of the warning signs that a colleague may be experiencing domestic and family violence at home; these can include:

    • social withdrawal from co-workers
    • visible bruises/injuries
    • emotional outbursts on the phone
    • frequent calls which leave them upset
    • lateness or frequent absences
    • poor job performance
    • depression or anxiety
    • eating disorder (under or over eating)
    • low self-esteem or confidence
    • misuse of drugs or alcohol.

    You are not expected to be a counsellor or know all the answers when a colleague approaches you to disclose they are affected by domestic and family violence. The main consideration is that the person has a support network.

    If they have not done so, encourage your colleague to contact the Metro North Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (BENESTAR – 1300 360 364) or a dedicated and experienced support service such as DVConnect Womensline (1800 811 811) or DVConnect Mensline (1800 600 636). The EAP and DVConnect can provide counselling, information and referral to other services.

    In a crisis situation, the EAP and DVConnect can assist to coordinate safe accommodation or other emergent support for the person. In an emergency always call ‘000’.

    A domestic and family violence QHEPS page has been created and is available to all staff. The MNHHS domestic and family violence QHEPS page houses all information relevant to supporting employees experiencing domestic and family violence, including options for staff learning and development.

    Disclosing that you are affected by domestic and family violence is not easy. Any approach/disclosure by an employee to a colleague, line manager/supervisor or delegate in relation to domestic and family violence must be treated with sensitivity and confidentiality, except to the extent that further disclosure is required or permitted by law.

    The Queensland Government has released a support package to assist public service employees affected by domestic and family violence that provides access to:

    • a minimum of 10 days paid special leave
      • This leave is available to employees affected by domestic and family violence; persons requiring leave to support a person directly affected by domestic and family violence (i.e. an employee’s sibling); and potential perpetrators or perpetrators of domestic and family violence to encourage behaviour change (i.e. to attend counselling sessions)
    • flexible working arrangements
    • reasonable workplace adjustments
    • counselling support services available via the EAP.

    Paid special leave for domestic and family violence purposes may be taken as consecutive days/shifts, single days/shifts or for part of a day/shift.

    An employee is to complete an application for leave form or AVAC noting the reason for leave as ‘paid special leave – other’ or similar. Paid special leave – other for domestic and family violence purposes is to be approved by the relevant delegate in accordance with the HR Delegations manual. There is no requirement for an employee to record on the leave application/AVAC that the paid special leave – other is for domestic and family violence purposes. No supporting documentation is to be attached to an application.

    Paid special leave is available to permanent, temporary and casual employees. Part-time and casual employees can access paid special leave on a pro rata basis.

    When an employee approaches their line manager/supervisor to request paid special leave for domestic and family violence purposes and the manager/supervisor is not the approving delegate, the manager/supervisor is to progress the leave application/AVAC directly to the relevant delegate for approval (i.e. via brief/memo/email/in person) on behalf of the employee. Where any information is to be progressed via a correspondence chain or email accessible to staff other than the delegate, information must be de-identified to protect the privacy of the individual employee.

    Supporting documentation must not be attached to the leave application/AVAC. Where an employee has supporting documentation, e.g. court notice, medical certificate, etc., such documentation is to be sighted by the line manager/supervisor or delegate and returned to the employee. If the employee does not wish for the documentation to be returned, the material is to be noted as ‘confidential’ and filed securely.

    Please note: The absence of supporting documentation may not be used to deny an employee access to paid special leave or other leave entitlements for domestic and family violence purposes.

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