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Worldwide, one in three women has been physically or sexually assaulted by her partner, according to the World Health Organization. Forty percent of women murdered each year are killed by their intimate partner. In some countries, more than half of women say they have been abused.
New Zealand does something about it.
A new law will grant victims of domestic violence 10 days of paid leave. Advocates say it will give victims time to leave their partners, find new homes and protect their children. Businesses must provide flexible work schedules and other forms of support when women return. Victims will not be required to provide proof of their situation.
"Part of this initiative is to get an answer from the whole society. We do not just leave that to the police, but we realize that we all have a role to play in helping victims. It's also about changing the cultural norms and saying, "We all have an interest in this and it's not OK," said Jan Logie, who sponsored the measure, at The Guardian.
Although the measure will not stop men from abusing their partners, supporters hope that it will be easier for the victims to start again. "We know that women's economic situation is crucial for her choices that determine what she can and can not do," said Ang Jury, general manager of Women's Refuge, at The Guardian. "If she can keep her job and keep her employer's trust while dealing with domestic issues, then that's good news."
The idea was born from the Women's Refuge research, which revealed that 60% of women in abusive relationships had full-time jobs early in the relationship. Less than half were able to keep their jobs.
"Those who remained have faced many difficulties affecting their job prospects, and those who have left are struggling to re-enter the workforce," Logie told The New York Times. This is a problem because one of the best predictors of whether a victim will stay away from his attacker is whether he is economically independent.
The bill was passed 63-57. Opponents are concerned that the measure places an undue burden on small businesses. It will come into effect next April.
New Zealand law is the second measure of this kind. (The Philippines adopted a similar measure in 2004.) The country has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world. A report published in 2017 by the New Zealand Herald revealed that the country was experiencing "the worst rate of domestic violence and spousal violence in the world". Researchers estimate that 525,000 New Zealanders are injured each year. Eighty percent of domestic violence is probably not reported, states the Herald
. According to the jury, several factors contribute to the high rates of domestic violence. Among other issues, she cited high rates of alcohol and drug abuse, as well as poverty. She argued that the most pernicious question, however, is that New Zealand is a "very, very strong, gender-based society". Unlike Sweden or Norway, she told the Herald, New Zealanders do not learn early that women are equal. They are not taught enough about domestic violence.
"We know it, but we do not understand it. I do not think you understood it correctly, unless it really happened to you, "she said. "Everyone knows what it looks like.With the money that has been poured into social awareness campaigns, you have to be someone who lives in a cave on an island for missing it." So we know what it looks like, we know it's bad, but we're not making much progress in addressing it. "
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