What Is Domestic Violence and How Can Employers Respond?

Domestic violence is not a private, family matter; the violence, or the effect of the violence can, and does spill into the workplace. It is a difficult subject; but, with four to five women murdered by their husbands or partners each day in the United States,1 and more than two million injuries each year,2 it is unrealistic and dangerous to ignore the impact domestic violence has in our communities, our homes, and in our work places.

Florida defines domestic violence as any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another. However, domestic violence is more than just physical assault, it is a pattern of behaviors that individuals use against their intimate partners or former partners to establish power and control. It may include physical, sexual, emotional, spiritual, or economic abuse, as well as the use of threats, isolation, pet abuse, using children as pawns, and a variety of other behaviors to maintain power over one’s partner through violence, fear and intimidation. It can effect anyone, anywhere and at any time.

Each year in the United States, nearly 8 million paid workdays are lost as a result of domestic violence, the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs.3 The cost of domestic violence is high; not just in lost days of work, but in lost productivity, in employee job performance and in health care costs. It is estimated that the cost of domestic violence to the United States economy is more than $8.3 billion, this includes medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity.4 It is likely that as employers you know someone who has experienced domestic violence, as well as someone who has perpetrated violence against an intimate partner. You may be surprised to find that both are not who you might expect. Many employers believe that it can’t happen within their organization, or to their employees. However, 71% of human resources and security personnel reported incidents of domestic violence on company property.5 This is especially staggering as it is specific to incidents of domestic violence at the workplace and does not include violence that occurs in the home or elsewhere.

As employers, you may not know what to do or how to help. The following is provided to give you information about what domestic violence is and isn’t, potential signs that someone may be experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence, and suggestions about how to help. The bullet points are not exhaustive and additional information and resources are available through your community’s certified domestic violence center, Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. (ACT) 239-939-2553 or www.actabuse.com. 

What you should know about domestic violence

• Domestic violence is about power and control.
• Domestic violence occurs regardless of age, race, religion, and socio-economic and educational divides.
• Domestic violence and dating violence are not always physical.
• Domestic violence is not a disagreement, a marital spat or an anger management problem. It is abusive, disrespectful, and hurtful actions that one partner chooses to use against their partner.
• A victim of domestic violence is more often at a heightened risk when they choose to leave an abusive relationship.
• Domestic and dating violence is never the fault of the victim. The perpetrator is completely responsible for their behavior, though they frequently blame their partner.
• Domestic violence can happen to anyone.
  
  Recognizing the signs of a victim
• Frequently calls in sick.
• Has unexplained bruises and is prone to repeated “accidents”.
• Wears clothing that may seem inappropriate for the season, i.e. long sleeves or turtlenecks during the summer.
• Receives repeated phone calls that result in an emotional reaction.
• Isolation and/or avoidance of coworkers.
• Sensitive about home life or personal situations.

Recognizing the signs of an abuser

• Blames others for their problems, especially their partner.
• Frequently calls or emails their partner.
• May use company property to help stalk the victim such as phones, security equipment, or vehicles.
• May be frequently absent for short periods of time while calling the victim or stalking the victims’ home or place of work.
• May display outbursts of anger toward their partner and/or others.
• Gives their partner threatening or intimidating looks that may result in a victim looking at the abuser before speaking because of being frightened or intimidated.
• Answers questions directed toward their partner.
• Is often very loud or speaks in a condescending manner to others.
• Often speaks in a demeaning manner to the victim or about the victim to others.

How to help

? Offer to listen, don’t judge and provide a safe and supportive environment.

• Don’t try to rescue your employee, they know their situation better than anyone else.
• Advising a domestic violence victim to leave may put them and their children at risk. Instead encourage them to work with a certified domestic violence center to develop a safety plan.
• Follow, or create, workplace violence policies and procedures.
• Partner with your local certified domestic violence center. Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. (ACT) 239-939-3112 
• Have resources and information available such as the statewide Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119, available 24 hours a day, and resources regarding your communities certified domestic violence center, which is Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. (ACT) 239-939-3112.
  
  Dealing with employees who batter6
• Put policies in writing
• Assess the risks
• Respond appropriately
• Discipline or terminate carefully
• Provide counseling
• Take action

Additional resources

Workplaces Respond To Domestic and Sexual Violence at www.workplacesrespond.org

Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence www.caepv.org

American Bar Association Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence www.americanbar.org/groups/ domestic_violence. html.

1 Catalano, S., Smith, E., Snyder, H., Rand, M. 2009. Female Victims of Violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Available at: https://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/fvv.pdf.

2 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2008. Adverse Health Conditions and Health Risk Behaviors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 57(05);113-117. Available at: https://www.cdc. gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5705a1.htm.

3 Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. 2003. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/ipv_cost/ IPVBook-Final-Feb18.pdf.  

4 Max W, Rice DP, Finkelstein E, Bardwell RA, Leadbetter S. The economic toll of intimate partner violence against women in the United States. Violence and Victims 2004;19(3):259-72. 5 Issac, Nancy E., Sc. D., Corporate Sector Response to Domestic Violence, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University School of Public Health, 1997.

6 Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. Available at: https://www.caepv.org/getinfo/docdetail. php?docID=88&catID=7.

Article Source: FCADV - https://www.fcadv.org/sites/default/files/BOTTOMLINE%20vol%205%20issue%201.pdf