Why I deliver workplace domestic abuse training

What many people couldn’t see was the impact it was having on every part of my life.

My concentration suffered. My productivity suffered. I would arrive at work emotionally exhausted after nights of sleep deprivation, or after hours spent trying to navigate emotionally draining text messages, phone calls, silent treatment, blame and manipulation. I became skilled at pretending I was okay, even when I wasn’t.

Looking back, I now recognise that the abuse had started long before I understood what it was.

In the early days of our relationship, what I believed was love was often control disguised as care. If I arrived home just five minutes later than expected after stopping to talk to a colleague after work, I would be questioned about where I had been. It was presented as concern for my safety, but in reality it was about monitoring my movements, shrinking my world and slowly taking away my independence. As technology evolved, that control extended to stalking me through my phone’s location services.

Even after the relationship ended, the abuse did not.

Years of post-separation abuse brought police investigations, family court proceedings, endless paperwork, legal hearings and the emotional weight of constantly fighting to protect myself and my children. Like so many victim-survivors, I was expected to continue performing at work while carrying an invisible burden that consumed every part of my life.

Some colleagues noticed I wasn’t myself. Many didn’t.

When I look back now, I often wonder how different my journey might have been if just one manager or colleague had quietly asked:

Louise, I can see something has changed. Are you okay? Are you safe? Is there anything we can do to support you?

That single conversation may have been the moment I realised I didn’t have to carry everything alone.

That is why I am so passionate about delivering domestic abuse awareness training in the workplace.

The workplace is often one of the few places a victim-survivor regularly attends outside the home. Managers and colleagues are not expected to become counsellors or investigators, but they can become informed, compassionate people who recognise the signs, know how to have safe conversations and understand how to respond appropriately.

Domestic abuse is only one of many life experiences that employees may be carrying. Divorce, trauma, bereavement, caring responsibilities, family court proceedings, police investigations, losing access to children, moving home and significant life changes all affect wellbeing, confidence and performance. When organisations understand the human story behind changing behaviour, they create cultures where people feel seen rather than judged.

Educate. Empower. Reconnect.

Through Empowered Insights, my mission is built on three simple principles.

• Educate people to recognise abuse, coercive control and the hidden impact trauma has on everyday life.
• Empower leaders, managers and colleagues with the confidence to respond compassionately, safely and effectively.
• Reconnect individuals with hope, support and the belief that they are not alone, while helping organisations create workplaces where people can truly thrive.

Because creating healthier workplaces isn’t simply about improving productivity; it’s about recognising humanity. Every employee deserves to feel safe, supported and valued, regardless of what they may be facing beyond the workplace.

I know first-hand that one conversation can change the direction of someone’s life. My hope is that, through Empowered Insights, more workplaces become places where those conversations happen.

Awareness gives abuse less room to hide. Every conversation rooted in understanding creates space for safety, hope and change. Together, we can build workplaces where people don’t just survive, they feel seen, valued and empowered to thrive.

Louise Sherwood, Founder, Empowered Insights