Helping businesses beat domestic violence

16 days of action, 1 global fight

Large companies – from Amnesty International to the World Health Organisation, as well as local, grassroots projects are supporting and celebrating this momentous movement.

What is 16 Days of Action?

Spanning across 16 days from the 25th November to the 10th December, 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence is a campaign aimed at businesses lacking the infrastructure to deal with the large-scale problem of domestic violence and abuse.

The workplace-factor

Domestic violence isn't always physical and doesn't have to occur in the home. It actually costs businesses a staggering 2 billion pounds annually, and with shocking statistics showing the strong link between domestic violence and the workplace – there's no question employers need to sit up and take serious action:

• 33% of all domestic violence homicides happened on workplace grounds
• 58% of abused women miss at least three days of work a month
• 56% of abused women arrive late for work at least five times

The role of Public Health England

From training webinars to harnessing the power of digital to raise awareness, Public Health England (PHE) are dedicated to bringing this epidemic out of the shadows and into the forefront of social issue representation. They're working to impact the lives of employees and public health policy, while urging everyone to sign the pledge – a commitment by an organisation and its staff members to join the global fight against domestic violence, to help bring it to an end – for good.

Just say the word

Developed by the Home Office and launched on 14 January 2021, the ‘Ask for ANI' codeword scheme was created to help victims of domestic abuse get immediate help from their local pharmacy – with thousands of pharmacies across the UK taking part since its inception.

How does Ask for ANI work?

Victims will be able to discreetly use the codeword ANI (Assistance Needed Immediately) in pharmacies to let staff know they need someone to come to their aid. A trained member of the pharmacy team will then offer a private and safe space where the individual can ask to speak to the police or access support services, such as national or local domestic abuse helplines.

Putting it into practice

Pharmacies can implement Ask for ANI by completing an online application process; and by participating in the scheme will be given access to training as well as promotional materials to display in store, so customers know they can approach their staff to get the help they need.

By taking action, pharmacies can help tackle an issue that impacts health, wellbeing, absence and turnover in the workplace. And while domestic violence will unfortunately continue beyond these 16 days – this will be a powerful period for us all to take a stand and fight to keep employees safe and protected.