Throughout Australia, people are experiencing family and domestic violence every day. If you are in this situation, there are people you can talk to and services that can help. Call 000 if you or anyone you know are in immediate danger.
What is family and domestic violence?
1. “Family and Domestic Violence” or “FDV” does not have a universal definition and can vary across different countries, states and territories. The core characteristic however is controlling behaviour, whether criminal or non-criminal, that is aimed to cause fear within another person or their family.
2. FDV can include violence, abuse or threatening behaviour in domestic or family settings, as set out below:
a) Acts of violence that occur in domestic settings between two people who are, or were, in an intimate relationship. It includes but is not limited to:
i. Physical abuse which refers to any form if intentional physical contact that causes harm or injury. This may include actions such as hitting, slapping, pushing, or other behaviors that result in physical pain or discomfort,
ii. Emotional abuse which involves behaviour that may negatively impact an individual’s emotional well-being or self-esteem. This can include repeated criticism, demeaning language, or actions intended to isolate or damage a person’s relationships,
iii. Sexual abuse which refers to any attempt to engage in sexual activity without clear voluntary, and informed consent. This includes coercive behaviour or any unwanted sexual contact or advances,
iv. Economic abuse which involves behaviors that seek to control or limit an individual’s access to financial resources or independence. This may include restricting access to money, controlling financial decisions, or preventing someone from earning or managing their own income,
v. Psychological abuse refers to behaviour that may cause emotional distress, fear, or a sense of isolation. This can include intimidation, threats, deliberate isolation from friends or family, or other actions that undermine a person’s mental well-being. This also encompasses forms of elder abuse.
b) Any violent, threatening, or other behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a member of their family or household or makes the family or household member fearful.
c) It may be a pattern of behaviour designed to make a person dependent or designed to influence a particular outcome involving a person by:
i. Isolating them from sources of support,
ii. Exploiting their resources and abilities for personal gain,
iii. Depriving them of means needed for independence, resistance and escape,
iv. Regulating their everyday behaviour.
Why this is important
3. This Policy sets out how IMA supports our customers who are affected by Family and Domestic Violence. It is important because we believe in doing the right thing by our customers, respecting who they are and their individual circumstances. This Policy supports IMA’s purpose and strategy by helping to make our customers safer and reducing the risk of harm from FDV.
4. This Policy is designed to produce these outcomes by:
a) Our customers having visibility of how we will support them if they are affected by FDV,
b) Minimising the risk of harm to customers affected by FDV,
c) Supporting our customers with empathetic, consistent and timely responses in their dealings with IMA.
Support for our Customers
5. Our customers’ safety is paramount. If a customer tells us, or we suspect or recognise they are affected by FDV, we can discuss options on how they can get support.
6. If there is an immediate threat of harm, we may contact emergency services on 000 to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our customers. In making this decision, we will carefully consider the information provided to us, including any specific requests or concerns the customer may have regarding their privacy. Our priority is to act in the best interest of the customer while being mindful of their circumstances and preferences.
7. We will treat the information customers provide to us about their situation in accordance with our obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and our Privacy Policies.
8. We have in place reasonable confidentiality and security procedures to protect customer information we hold both electronically and on paper/in hard copy.
9. We may set up alerts in our system to notify employees if a customer may be affected by family and domestic violence. These alerts help us identify customers who may require extra care and support, ensuring they receive the appropriate assistance in a timely and sensitive manner. This approach also helps prevent customers from having to repeatedly share their story, which can be distressing, and ensures their enquiry is directed to the most suitable and trained employees who can provide the right support.
10. Information provided by our customers may be accessible by authorised employees who have been trained in our systems and processes.
11. We will discuss safe communication methods with our customers and document these preferences on their customer record, including suitable times to contact the customer.
12. We will explore appropriate options for our customers during their interactions with us, whether this be in relation to their insurance policy, claim or another enquiry and treat each interaction with flexibility and care, including where the customer has a joint policy.
13. We will ensure our claim’s handling process is clear, appropriate, and managed with sensitivity.
14. If appropriate, we may refer customers to a specialist team or employee within IAG Australia who will have received a higher-level of training to assist and support customers experiencing FDV. Referral to these teams or employees is intended to provide specific support to customers including reducing the number of times they may need to disclose information about their FDV, enable them to receive specialised care, provide them access to financial hardship and assist in referral to external specialist services where required.
15. We will make it as simple as possible for customers to appoint an agent or representative.
16. If requested by the customer, we will refer the customer to a qualified independent interpreter service to assist with communication. This can be arranged by calling us or contacting translating and interpreting services using details available on our websites.
17. Our brand websites outline the support we offer our customers and how they can access it.
18. If appropriate, we may also refer customers to a trusted external support provider including but not limited to those listed below:
| Agency | ||
|---|---|---|
|
1800 RESPECT |
24/7 |
1800 737 732 |
|
Full Stop Australia |
24/7 |
1800 385 578 |
|
Lifeline |
24/7 |
13 11 14 |
|
Beyond Blue |
24/7 |
1300 224 636 |
|
Kidshelpline |
24/7 |
1800 551 800 |
|
MensLine Australia |
24/7 |
1300 78 99 78 |
|
One Stop One Story Hub |
Mon to Fri |
Available through referral for our NRMA Insurance customers. |
19. These services can be accessed online or over the phone for confidential counselling, information and referral services.
20. If appropriate, we may provide a customer with details of their relevant state Legal Aid Service including but not limited to those listed below:
| Agency | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Legal Aid ACT |
Australian Capital Territory |
Mon - Thurs: 8:30am to 7pm |
1300 654 314 |
|
Legal Aid NSW |
New South Wales |
Mon - Fri: 9am to 5pm |
1300 888 529 |
|
Victoria Legal Aid |
Victoria |
Mon - Fri: 8am to 6pm |
1300 792 387 |
21. We will work with our customers affected by FDV to understand their individual situations if they are impacted by financial hardship. We will be flexible when discussing the ways we can provide support, and we might be able to help by:
a) reviewing cover to make sure it’s right,
b) changing how often payments are made,
c) extending payment due dates,
d) developing a payment plan,
e) deducting excess from claim settlements,
22. If collection arrangements are necessary and a customer has told us, or we suspect, they are experiencing FDV we will ensure these matters are managed sensitively and with care. If we become aware our customer is affected by FDV after a referral has been made to a third- party debt collection agency, our internal collection teams will work with the agency to understand our customers situation and be flexible in the ways we can support our customers regarding their financial obligations with us.
23. We provide employees with information about our policies and procedures, as well as training on our systems, for when they are engaging with customers or employees who are experiencing FDV.
24. We train our employees to recognise, understand and support customers experiencing vulnerability including FDV.
25. The type and frequency of training will vary based on the employee’s role.
26. Our training covers:
a) Identifying signs that may indicate a customer is experiencing vulnerability, including early signs that a customer may be experiencing FDV,
b) Acknowledging that such situations may be ongoing and require sensitive handling,
c) Being mindful of the potential impacts of trauma on customer behaviour and responding without judgement,
d) Providing appropriate, respectful, and empathetic support, including protecting customer information and referring to internal and external specialist support when needed.
27. We will continue to work with industry bodies, non-profit groups and communities to better understand FDV, and refine our approach to supporting customers affected by FDV.
Support for Employees
28. Anyone can be affected by FDV, including our employees. We support our employees by giving them access to:
a) Training which provides awareness about FDV including how this may affect customers and how to recognise the signs of abuse,
b) Local employee assistance programs, external support services and internal specialist teams,
c) Sick, emergency or additional leave and flexible work arrangements if needed.
29. For more information, employees can refer to their internal FDV Policy.
Contacts for questions and more information
30. If you have any questions or want more information about this Policy, please contact us at member_relations@racv.com.au and one of our team members will assist.