A report (see here) commissioned by the Public Service Association (PSA) has made a number of recommendations it says will save businesses millions and help victims break the cycle of violence.

Report author, Suzanne Snively puts the cost of domestic violence to New Zealand business at $368 million a year.

Recommendations include workplaces adopting domestic violence policies to train employees about abuse and implementing a national policy allowing victims of domestic violence to take up to 10 days off work as special leave.

Ms Snively notes; while men are also victims of domestic violence, her paper focuses on women as they are more likely to suffer severe and persistent abuse, with one in three New Zealand women abused by a partner or ex-partner in their lifetime.

Health Research Council of New Zealand

Suzanne Snively is an economic and business entrepreneurialism strategist. She was previously a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and is Managing Director of MoreMedia Enterprises in Wellington. A US citizen, Suzanne arrived in Wellington as a Fulbright Scholar serving on Fulbright New Zealand’s Board for 17 years (Chairing for seven years). Suzanne was a Director of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, R A Hannah & Co and Wellington City ‘s Capital Holdings. She is currently on the Whitireia New Zealand, Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec), Diabetes New Zealand and Health Research Council of New Zealand Boards. Suzanne’s New Zealand Order of Merit is for Services to Business and she was one of the 100 people honoured by the Queen in Women’s Suffrage Year in 1993. Her memberships include the Institute of Directors, the Association of Economists and Global Women.

The launch of this ‘research’ (media hype) is being co-ordinated with a private members bill put forward by Green MP Jan Logie. The detail is not available at this time but will no doubt seek to formalise the contents of the report into legislation.

What we are seeing here is an attempt to transfer the same ideology that has dogged men in the Family Court into the employment arena – the employer becomes the big stick and employment law the new weapon. This strategy has serious implications for the working man in New Zealand, and his ability to deal with allegations of domestic violence.

It will be interesting to review the parliamentary debate, when it is clearly acknowledged as feminist and gendered legislation – assuming of course that it does get drawn in a ballot.