One of SA’s big corporates is taking the fight against gender-based violence to another level by introducing special leave for employees who are affected by domestic violence.

Unilever SA says the “haven leave”, which allows staff to stay away for up to 10 days a year, will give them space to seek medical help and legal advice, and attend courts or counselling.

Luc-Olivier Marquet, executive vice-president of Unilever SA, said the new leave category, which is available to men and women in the company’s 3,300 workforce, will “relieve some of the stress associated with finding the strength and courage to leave a domestically violent relationship”...