Domestic abuse doesn’t stay at home. It affects how people work, concentrate and feel safe – both inside and outside the workplace. For some, their job may be the only consistent, safe space where they can reach out for help. That’s why having a clear, informed and compassionate workplace policy matters and why Sharon’s Policy (2025) plays such an important role.
In 2021 we co-created Sharon’s Domestic Abuse Policy and Guidance Notes to help employers do exactly that: to recognise the signs of abuse, respond safely, and support employees to access emotional and practical support, to help them cope and recover. Co-created by Sharon Livermore MBE, the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA), The HR Dept, and the Domestic Abuse (DA) Alliance, this free-to-use framework has become a trusted tool for businesses seeking to make their workplaces safer and more informed.
The 2025 review of Sharon’s Policy and Guidance Notes builds on this foundation, adding expert insight from Refuge, NSPCC, and PEGS, and legal appraisal by Hogan Lovells. These updates ensure the Policy continues to reflect current legislation, lived experience and best practice in supporting people living with abuse.
“When I was living with an abuser my employer didn’t realise the extent of what I was going through or understand how best to fully support me. By adopting a domestic abuse policy in your workplace, you are helping to end the misconception that ‘what happens at home isn’t our business’.”
— Sharon Livermore MBE, Domestic Abuse Education
What’s new in 2025
The 2025 review also strengthens clarity, inclusivity and practical application of the Policy and Guidance Notes. Key enhancements include:
- Person-centred support (Policy, Section 5): Encourages managers to tailor assistance to each colleague’s circumstances – including caring responsibilities and children.
- Legislative alignment (Guidance Notes, Section 2): Clear reference to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and a reminder that abuse can affect anyone, at any level of seniority in the workplace.
- Safer conversations (Guidance Notes, Section 4): Expanded prompts for routine touchpoints (e.g., appraisals, return-to-work meetings) with gentle, open-ended questions to create a culture where disclosure feels safer.
- Recognising pet abuse (Guidance Notes, Section 4, and Support Services): Pet abuse is highlighted as a red flag of coercive control, with signposting to confidential pet fostering schemes that remove barriers to leaving.
- Training and first contacts (Guidance Notes, Section 5): Recommends appointing at least two nominated, trained contacts in the workplace and provides updated advice on responding to disclosures (including the value of asking more than once).
- Pregnancy & domestic abuse (Guidance Notes, Section 5): Emphasises the increased risk of abuse during pregnancy and maternity/adoption leave, with a link to the free Protecting Every Future employer guide.
- Caring responsibilities & regular reviews (Guidance Notes, Section 7): Adds practical prompts on dependents, and the importance of setting regular check-ins as risk can change quickly.
- Expanded support ecosystem (Guidance Notes, Section 9-10): Updated list of specialist support services, added animal welfare signposting, and inclusion of the Child to Parent Abuse Covenant (CPAC) for employers.
- Accessibility by design (Guidance Notes, Section 13): A new section encouraging policies to be produced in accessible formats (e.g., plain language, large print, screen-reader compatible) to ensure every employee understands their rights and options.
- Technology-facilitated abuse & AI (Guidance Notes, Section 3): Expanded guidance on the misuse of technology—including smart-home devices, GPS tracking, email monitoring—and new information on how Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as deepfakes and impersonation tools, is increasingly used to perpetrate domestic abuse.
A practical, evidence-informed framework
Sharon’s Policy provides a clear employer framework: recognise the signs, respond with care, and clear boundaries, and refer to specialist help. The Guidance Notes translate this into day-to-day practice from appointing trained points of contact and establishing safe spaces for conversation, to developing communication plans for hybrid/remote working, and making temporary adjustments that help colleagues stay in work while they access specialist support.
The 2025 refresh also strengthens guidance around technology-facilitated abuse, post-separation abuse, economic abuse, and trauma-informed approaches, recognising that recovery isn’t linear and that triggers (e.g., court dates or a perpetrator’s release) may affect an employee’s wellbeing and attendance. Employers are encouraged to record decisions factually and securely, and to consider how absence or performance linked to domestic abuse is treated within wider HR processes.
The cost of domestic abuse in the workplace
Domestic abuse has a far-reaching impact, not only on individuals and families, but on the economy and in the workplace too. It is high harm and high cost. The government estimates that the social and economic costs of domestic abuse are in the region of £78 billion (2022/23 prices) over a three-year average period of abuse. Lost output relating to time taken off work and reduced productivity is estimated to cost the UK economy £17 billion each year.
Beyond the numbers, the human cost – the loss of safety, confidence, and wellbeing – cannot be overstated.
Creating safer workplaces isn’t just the right thing to do; it also makes sound business sense. By adopting a domestic abuse policy and taking proactive steps to support employees, organisations can protect their people, reduce hidden costs, and foster a culture of care and trust that benefits everyone.
Collaboration that strengthens outcomes
The 2025 review and relaunch of Sharon’s Policy reflects the collective expertise of frontline organisations and legal specialists. Contributions from Refuge, NSPCC, and PEGS help ensure the content is survivor-focused and aligned with current best practice – including how employers consider the impact on children and young people, and how they can recognise and respond to child-to-parent abuse. A legal review by Hogan Lovells further supports clarity and confidence in workplace implementation.
Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge, said:
“Support for survivors in the workplace should not be an optional extra, yet some employers may be unsure where to start. Sharon’s Policy is a clear, comprehensive guide for best practice, offering employers actionable ways to help survivors navigate domestic abuse and access specialist support. Refuge recommends Sharon’s Policy to all employers to help establish safer, more inclusive workplaces.”
NSPCC Domestic Abuse Practice Advisor (DAPA) Development and Quality Manager, Paddi Vint, said:
“Domestic abuse can have a major impact on the whole family, with the effects being both immediate and lasting well into the future.
“For this reason, it is vital that everyone is aware of the signs of domestic abuse. This includes employers, who should play a key role in ensuring staff feel safe and supported in disclosing their abuse.
“We’d encourage all organisations to make use of Sharon’s Policy, which is an important tool that can help them support employees and their children who may be experiencing domestic abuse.”
Michelle John, Director of Parental Education Growth Support (PEGS), said:
“Sharon’s Policy gives businesses the tools to act with confidence and compassion when it comes to domestic abuse. By putting lived experience at the heart of its guidance, it not only helps employers meet their responsibilities but also ensures staff know they will be understood and supported when it matters most.”
How employers can use Sharon’s Policy and Guidance Notes 2025
- Adopt or integrate the Policy: Use it as a stand-alone domestic abuse policy, or embed it into existing policies (e.g., health & wellbeing, safeguarding, absence, flexible working and performance processes).
- Train and nominate: Appoint and train named contacts in the organisation who can manage disclosures of abuse and coordinate a safe, consistent response.
- Create safe opportunities to talk: Build simple, respectful questions into routine processes (appraisals, return-to-work meetings) and identify a quiet, private space – on-site or off-site – for sensitive conversations.
- Plan practical adjustments: Agree on temporary flexibility (hours, duties, location), ensure safe communication methods and review plans regularly as circumstances change.
- Know your pathways: Save and share key helplines, local services, and legal routes, including the Domestic Abuse Alliance’s WEPROTECT victim referral service for comprehensive and compassionate civil legal support and protection.
Accessing the documents
Sharon’s Domestic Abuse Policy and Guidance Notes (2025) are available free to download via Domestic Abuse Education. You can access the latest version here.
You can also:
- Explore employer resources and get support via our Employers page.
- Access early civil legal assistance and protection for anyone living with domestic abuse via WEPROTECT or call our helpline: 0800 101 7110.
- Find out how to improve workplace support for pregnant employees living with domestic abuse through the Protecting Every Future guide.
Together – by recognising the signs of abuse sooner, responding safely, and referring swiftly – we can all protect colleagues, retain talent and build workplaces where people feel safe, believed and supported.
