The Central Line East branch of the Rail, Maritime, and Transport workers union (RMT) passed this resolution to send to the RMT's Women's Conference. Could your union branch discuss and pass similar policy?
We note
1) the work that the union has done so far on the issue of domestic violence.
2) that many myths and misrepresentations persist about domestic violence, which make it more difficult to tackle the issue.
3) the following facts about domestic violence compiled by Women's Aid:
- The Government defines domestic violence as "Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality."
- Domestic violence can affect one in four women in their lifetimes and between 1 in 8 and 1 in 10 women annually. Domestic violence accounts for between 16% and one quarter of all recorded violent crime. In any one year, there are 13 million separate incidents of physical violence or threats of violence against women from partners or former partners.
- Less than a quarter of incidents of domestic violence are reported to the police. Nevertheless, the police still receive one call about domestic violence for every minute in the UK. Of these, nearly 90% are calls by women being assaulted by men.
On average, two women a week are killed by a violent partner or ex-partner, around 40% of all female homicide victims. In contrast, around 5% of male homicide victims are killed by current or former partners.
- The vast majority of victims of domestic violence are women and children, and women are also considerably more likely to experience repeated and severe forms of violence than men. One survey found that 81% of reported domestic violence cases were of female victims attacked by male perpetrators; 8% were male victims attacked by female perpetrators; 4% were female victims attacked by female perpetrators and 7% were male victims attacked by male perpetrators.
- Genuinely mutual violence in a relationship is very rare.
- Since abusers typically behave differently in public than they do in private, most people are not usually aware of domestic violence when it is happening in their community or among their workmates. It can be difficult to believe that a person who behaves so respectably in public can behave so badly with their family. This can make it even more difficult for women who are trying to reach out for support, as they may feel that they will not be believed.
- There is no excuse for domestic violence. The victim is never responsible for the abuser’s behaviour.
- Perpetrators of domestic violence frequently avoid taking responsibility for their behaviour, by blaming their violence on someone or something else, denying it took place at all or minimising their behaviour.
- There are belief systems in our society that perpetuate abusive attitudes and make it difficult for women and children to get help. These include: blaming the victim for the violence; putting the ‘family' before the safety of women and children; treating domestic violence as a private matter.
- The vast majority of people with mental health problems do not abuse other people. Mental health issues are more likely to result from domestic violence than to cause it.
At least 750,000 children a year witness domestic violence. Nearly three quarters of children on the ‘at risk’ register live in households where domestic violence occurs.
- A woman may not simply leave a relationship when violence occurs. She may still care for her partner and hope that he will change; she may feel ashamed, or fearful of her future; she may not have access to money or housing to support herself or her children; she may be isolated from family or friends or be prevented from leaving the home; the abuser may threaten to harm her (or her children) if she leaves.
- Despite common prejudices, false accusations of domestic violence are very rare. The Crown Prosecution Service reported last year that there were only 9 prosecutions for false allegations of domestic violence in a 17-month period.
We resolve that RMT should:
1) circulate facts about domestic violence in order to dispel common myths
2) continue to support the work of Women's Aid
3) continue to press employers to adopt our model Domestic Violence policy.
4) arrange for the provision of the TUC training course on Dealing with Domestic Violence in the Workplace: A Trade Union Issue to RMT reps and branch officers, aiming to have trained representatives in every region, and ultimately in every branch.
