💜 Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave)
Commons Chamber
Alex McIntyre, a new MP for Gloucester, introduced a Bill to Parliament proposing two weeks of paid safe leave for victims of domestic abuse, highlighting the severe financial and emotional toll of leaving abusive relationships. The Bill aims to support survivors by allowing them time off work to seek help, attend court, and heal without fear of losing their jobs or wages. McIntyre emphasized the widespread impact of domestic abuse, citing shocking statistics and personal stories from his constituents, and stressed the need for workplaces to support victims. The Bill has been read for the first time and is scheduled for its second reading on June 20, 2025.
Summary
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Proposed Bill: Alex McIntyre, a Labour MP from Gloucester, introduced a motion to bring in a Bill that would grant victims of domestic abuse the right to two weeks of paid leave, known as safe leave.
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Domestic Abuse Statistics: The prevalence of domestic abuse in the UK is highlighted, affecting approximately 2.1 million people, with the majority being women, but also impacting about 750,000 men. One in four women and one in seven men have experienced domestic abuse.
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Impact of Domestic Abuse: The motion emphasized that domestic abuse encompasses more than physical violence, including psychological manipulation and economic control, which severely impacts victims’ health and well-being.
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Financial Barriers to Leaving: A key focus was the financial difficulty survivors face when trying to leave abusive situations, with estimates suggesting it can cost almost £50,000 to safely flee and rebuild.
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Need for Safe Leave: The Bill aims to provide victims with the financial security to take necessary time off for seeking medical help, finding new accommodation, attending court, and other crucial tasks without fear of job loss or financial strain.
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Previous Government Review: The last Conservative Government reviewed domestic abuse leave and deemed it too difficult to implement, a view McIntyre disagrees with, advocating for a collaborative approach to develop effective policies.
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Economic Argument: The Bill’s proponent argued that while safe leave might impose costs on employers, it could also benefit businesses by reducing the economic impact of domestic abuse, estimated at £316 million annually from work-related absences and £78 billion overall societal cost in 2022.
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Global Context: Examples of countries and regions that have introduced similar safe leave policies were mentioned, including Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the Philippines.
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Next Steps: The Bill passed its first reading and is scheduled for a second reading on 20 June 2025. It aims to stimulate discussions in workplaces about supporting employees experiencing domestic abuse.
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Vision for Society: McIntyre envisions a society where victims of domestic abuse feel safe and supported at work, able to manage their situation without worrying about their employment status.
Divisiveness
The session transcript shows virtually no disagreement among the participants. Alex McIntyre’s motion for a Bill to provide paid safe leave for victims of domestic abuse is presented and agreed upon without any recorded opposition or debate from other Members of Parliament. The motion is put to a vote and agreed to unanimously, indicating a lack of disagreement. There are no dissenting voices or alternative viewpoints expressed in the session, which leads to the assessment of minimal disagreement.