Union makes a noise about "silent" issue

The "silent" issue of workplace violence is gaining a voice 
with large numbers of women responding to the Victorian Trades 
Hall Council (VTHC) survey Violence Against Women in the 
Workplace, launched last month.

"I was devastated when it happened. I kept thinking that I should 
just pull myself together but instead I just fell more and more 
apart. Filling in the survey makes me feel like I am being 
heard", one respondent to the survey said.

"My workplace is the only big workplace in town. If I had 
reported it everybody would know about it and I wouldn't be able 
to get another job", said another woman.

VTHC Women's and Equity Officer, Ellen Kleimaker, said survey 
responses received so far confirmed the gravity and widespread 
nature of the problem.

"Australian women workers are pre-dominantly concentrated in the 
service and caring industries and are more likely to be casually 
employed than their male counterparts."

Anecdotal evidence suggests that workplace changes such as 
casualisation, variable hours of work and insecure contracts may 
contribute to the occurrence of violence.

"Because there has been very little research into the issue this 
survey is vital in providing unions, employers and governments 
with a basis for developing preventative strategies."

The VTHC would like to hear from women across a range of 
industries and from all regions of Victoria who have experienced 
workplace violence.

"We need to hear from women in blue collar industries, including 
hospitality, services, manufacturing, teachers, nurses, welfare 
workers, factory workers, women working in call centres, city 
women and country women."