Violence against women (VAW) in the workplace: A barrier to equality

As 2024 draws to a close, the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign remains at the forefront of vital discussions and efforts to eradicate violence against women and girls (VAWG). This year, the campaign, which runs annually from November 25^th (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to December 10^th (Human Rights Day), also marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Adopted in 1995, this seminal framework has influenced global efforts to promote women’s rights and outlines strategic objectives for addressing economic inequality, political representation, and violence against women (VAW). This campaign presents an opportunity to propel these efforts even further and aligns with Scotland’s Equally Safe strategy, which recognises that VAW is a cause and consequence of gender inequality.

In Scotland, the continued theme, ‘Imagine a Scotland without Gender-Based Violence’, focuses on the role of government and society in changing attitudes and behaviours while challenging the gender inequalities that underpin VAW. This pervasive issue affects every aspect of women’s lives, including their experience in the workplace. For example, one in four women in Scotland experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, with three-quarters of these women targeted at their workplaces. As well, 70% of women in Scotland reported having experienced or witnessed sexual harassment in the workplace and 80% never report to their employer.

Preventing VAW requires decisive and coordinated action to address women’s inequality across all aspects of society, including the workplace, where systemic gender disparities are often most pronounced. Employers must go beyond simply recognising the issue and take concrete steps to create safer, more equitable environments for women. This includes implementing comprehensive policies to prevent sexual harassment, undertaking training to identify and support victim-survivors of VAW, and embedding gender equality into recruitment, pay, and progression practices. By tackling these structural issues, organisations contribute to wider societal change, ensuring that progress in workplace equality drives efforts to eliminate VAW at every level.

The impact of VAW on women’s employment

The link between VAW, gender inequality and women’s labour market inequality are not widely acknowledged. However, VAW has profound implications for women’s labour market participation, driving economic and workplace barriers that erode financial independence and restrict access to meaningful employment opportunities. This can be seen in cases of financial and economic abuse. Financial abuse focuses on controlling a victim-survivor’s money and assets, while economic abuse encompasses broader tactics, such as sabotaging employment opportunities or restricting access to education. 95% of domestic abuse victim-survivors experience economic abuse, and 60% of domestic abuse victim-survivors in the UK are in debt due to economic abuse. Financial dependence and poverty can make it harder for women experiencing violence or abuse to move on and maintain employment.

Sexual harassment also remains a persistent issue for workplaces. A 2019 survey by the Trades Union Congress revealed that 68% of disabled women reported being sexually harassed at work, compared to 52% of women overall. The same survey found that more than half (54%) of disabled women had experienced two or more types of sexually harassing behaviour, and 45% had experienced three or more. Other research found that 63% of women aged 18-24 has experience some form of sexual harassment at work. Victim-survivors have also stated that they fear retaliation, damage to their professional reputation, or even dismissal if they report or speak out. These experiences discourage women from advocating for fair treatment or pursuing leadership roles. Women constitute approximately 49% of Scotland’s labour market. However, their representation in leadership positions remains disproportionately low. According to Engender’s Sex & Power in Scotland 2023, women hold just over a third of key positions of power, with men occupying two-thirds of these roles. This underrepresentation, combined with a lack of proactive measures to address workplace VAW, perpetuates a cycle where women are unable to fully advance in their careers.

Research from the World Health Organization indicates that 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced rape and sexual assault in their lifetime. In Scotland, similar to most forms of VAW, rape and sexual assault is significantly underreported. Only 22% of victim-survivors of rape reported it to the police . Experiences of rape and sexual assault can severely affect the victim-survivor’s life in various ways. Victim-survivors often take time off work to seek help from specialist support agencies, attend doctor’s or counselling appointments or access legal support. Women also report that they struggle to find appropriate support in the workplace due to a lack of understanding of their experience.

It’s also important to recognise that the impact and experience of VAW is not uniform and women are not a homogenous group. Different groups of women experience multiple, intersecting inequalities and discriminations that overlap and combine to create different levels of inequality. Understanding these complex interactions is essential for developing targeted and effective interventions that address the specific needs of women in diverse communities. Policies and programmes must be inclusive and culturally sensitive, recognising the unique barriers faced by women with intersecting identities. Only through an intersectional lens can we create a comprehensive response to VAW that effectively supports every woman.

Equally Safe at Work: Advancing gender equality to prevent VAW

To effectively prevent VAW, it’s essential to address gender inequality within the workplace. Women’s experiences of VAW are deeply intertwined with the structural barriers they face in the labour market, such as inflexible working arrangements, low-paid part-time roles, and inadequate workplace support for victim-survivors. These challenges reinforce gender inequality and perpetuate conditions that increase women’s vulnerability to violence and economic dependency. Addressing these issues requires transformative action from employers, who play a critical role in fostering equitable and supportive working environments.

Equally Safe at Work (ESAW), developed by Close the Gap, is a pioneering accreditation programme designed to support employers in tackling VAW and advancing gender equality in Scotland’s workplaces. As a primary prevention initiative, ESAW supports the implementation of the Equally Safe strategy by guiding organisations in developing policies and practices that address the root causes of VAW. Through the programme, organisations are encouraged to adopt an integrated approach to workplace change, encompassing policy development, awareness raising, and capacity building. This includes implementing VAW policies, embedding gender-sensitive practices across recruitment and flexible working, and addressing negative workplace cultures. ESAW also emphasises the importance of data-driven change, supporting employers to collect and analyse gender-sensitive workforce data to identify and address barriers to gender equality. By providing a comprehensive roadmap, ESAW ensures that participating organisations are not only compliant with best practices but are actively contributing to the prevention of VAW and the advancement of workplace equality.

Findings from ESAW’s 2022–2023 evaluation in local government, NHS, and the third sector demonstrate significant progress among participating employers and an increased understanding of their role as employers in addressing VAW.

“It’s drawn linkage between the world of work and VAW, and causality between them. We have made effort to talk about this in comms to staff. The relevance to managers has become clearer.”

“Every time we review a policy now, we apply a gender lens to it – applying a gender lens to everything. We have selected policies and will build this into our normal policy review process.”

Looking forward

It is critical to recognise that advancing women’s participation in the labour market, while vital, is not a standalone solution to gender inequality or VAW prevention. Structural inequalities within the labour market, including the undervaluation of women’s work and occupational segregation, contribute to and sustain institutional inequity. In Scotland, women continue to dominate low-paid and undervalued sectors such as care, retail, and cleaning. Additionally, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that over 10% of workers in Scotland are trapped in persistent low pay, with 72% of them being women. These figures highlight the structural barriers that prevent many women from achieving economic independence and security. Addressing these disparities is crucial to eradicating VAW while also contributes to broader efforts to reduce poverty and promote gender equality.

Employers must commit to comprehensive changes that address the root causes of inequality in the workplace. This includes implementing gender-sensitive employment policies, promoting flexible working, providing comprehensive support for victim-survivors, and tackling the undervaluation of women’s roles. By doing so, workplaces can play a pivotal role in transforming the conditions that perpetuate gender inequality and VAW, ensuring safer, more equitable opportunities for all women.

For more detailed information on the gender pay gap and additional resources on promoting gender equality, please visit Close the Gap. Additionally, to find out more about our four-tier accreditation programme, and to access extensive support and guidance on addressing sexual harassment and preventing violence against women in the workplace, visit Equally Safe at Work.