Domestic Violence Against Women as a Workplace Concern

Domestic violence against women would seem to be a private family problem, but it spills out into the workplace making it an economic problem as well.  Millions of women are verbally, physically, and sexually abused all over the world leading to countless injuries and sometimes even death.  This unfortunate and devastating personal problem has several repercussions in the work place.  It leaves the victims, and their co-workers, vulnerable to their attackers as well as having emotional implications making them less productive.  

Abusers use the workplace to find and harass their victims via phone or email, and can even show up to harm them.  Victims can be trapped in low paying jobs because of changing jobs frequently, absenteeism, and lateness; all because of the effects of the abuse.  Co-workers have a concern for the victim, as well as needing to take over some of the victim’s work, and this reduces productivity further.  

According the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), domestic violence victims lose a total of 8 million days of paid work per year, and cost businesses 4.1 billion in health care services, and an additional 727.8 million in productivity losses.  The U.S. Department of Justice has found that about 20,000 workers are threatened or attacked at work every year.  The leading cause of death in the workplace of women is homicide by intimate partners.  

Studies show that knowing the signs of domestic violence against women can lessen the risk of danger to the victims and co-workers.  Employers can take steps to protect employees and help them find resources for assistance.  They should have policies for recognizing warning signs and training on how to properly communicate with a victim.  Additional policies can be in place and employees should be aware of them, and know where to seek help when needed.  

An employer should have a formal domestic violence policy on file and in the employee handbook.  They should make efforts to provide a secure work environment including safe entry, screening victim’s phone calls, and changing her email or phone number if needed.  They can also ensure that she is safely escorted to her car, change her payroll address, and change her work station or schedule if considered necessary.  These policies keep the victim safe, and will also help them keep their jobs.  A company will benefit by having a more productive employee, and the emotional well being of all employees will be more stable.