WU Researchers: Domestic violence and workplace inequalities are closely connected
Domestic violence is reinforced by inequalities at the household, workplace, and broader societal levels that disproportionally affect women.
Evidence shows that workplace inequalities may deepen women’s vulnerability in abusive relationships primarily by reinforcing financial dependence, which makes leaving harder to afford. WU researchers call on Austrian employers to take action by providing practical and consistent support for affected employees.
According to the World Health Organization, globally, about one quarter of ever-married or ever-partnered women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former husband or male intimate partner at least once in her lifetime.
Women experiencing domestic violence may find work challenging: The abuse they experience from partners or ex-partners can affect their attendance, cause work interruptions, and impair concentration and performance. This increases the risk of job loss, impacts career progression, and generates losses for employers.
For individuals seeking to leave abusive domestic situations, employment can serve a function far beyond providing income: It may offer an essential pathway toward safety, independence, and a life free from abuse.
Inequality reinforces domestic violence
Dr. Andrea Romo Pérez and Professor Lena Knappert, from the WU Institute for Gender and Diversity in Organizations, draw on international research evidence to show how workplace inequalities and domestic violence are linked and reinforce one another.
Persistent inequalities in employment and pay – as reflected in the gender pay gap in Austria, which is higher than the EU average (17.6% in 2024, compared with 11.1% in the EU) – and the overrepresentation of women in precarious conditions (insecure jobs, part-time work) may exacerbate women’s economic vulnerability and exposure to domestic violence, argue the researchers. “Alongside a disproportionate share of unpaid care work at home, these structural inequalities can leave women more financially dependent, increase their vulnerability to domestic violence and limit their capacity to leave abusive relationships,” explains Romo Pérez.
For many victims, the consequences of (ongoing) domestic violence can be lethal. In 2025, there were a total of 15 femicides and 39 acts of severe violence against women in Austria, the vast majority perpetrated by a current or former partner. In 2026, there have already been 15 reported femicides and 45 reports of severe violence.
Employer responsibilities
Internationally, many organizations have support programs in place for employees who report experiencing domestic violence. Yet, while many Austrian employers participate in awareness campaigns, there is limited evidence of consistent, day-to-day support embedded in organizational practice.
“When organizations stay silent about domestic violence, they fail to acknowledge the connection between women’s heightened vulnerability and the role employers can play. This silence is not neutral,” says Knappert. It leaves employers with little accountability in an area where they have substantial opportunity to support prevention, and it keeps domestic violence framed as a private matter rather than a workplace issue.
The authors argue that by talking openly about domestic violence, paying attention to the domestic safety of their workers, and offering concrete, ongoing forms of support, organizations can avoid maintaining power relations and the continued marginalization of certain groups – in this case women, and especially those facing intersecting forms of marginalization – including their visibility and their ability to seek change.
A call for action
Writing for a collection of essays on gendered violence across cultures in the journal International and Intercultural Communication, Dr. Pérez and Professor Knappert end with a set of questions that map onto established international corporate practice. These questions ask organizations to reflect on whether managers and line managers are trained to recognize the signs of domestic violence and respond appropriately to a disclosure – knowing what to say, what not to say, and where to refer; whether survivors and victim-survivors are involved in shaping policy; whether policies are inclusive by design rather than assuming a single victim profile; and whether organizations partner with specialist domestic violence organizations to design policy, deliver training, and provide a genuine support pathway.
Detailed study results and further information
Andrea Romo Pérez and Lena Knappert, Women at the intersection of domestic violence and workplace inequality. Published in: Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager et al (2026). Spectacles of control: Gendered violence across cultures. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/17513057.2026.2653028
Statistics on femicides in Austria: www.aoef.at/index.php/zahlen-und-daten/femizide-in-oesterreich
Statistics on the gender pay gap in Austria: Gender pay gap in Austria at 17.6% in 2024
WHO violence against women prevalence estimates, 2023: Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2023
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