Most employed individuals spend 6 – 8 hours each day at work. Statistics show that
74% of those females who report are victims of domestic violence work outside the home, and that 60% of the men who abuse them also work. It is therefore reasonable to suspect that domestic violence is very likely affecting YOUR place of work. What does this mean?
1) You may already know the victim on your job, and/or you might know the perpetrator.
2) If your co-worker tells you she’s afraid for her life, does that ever make you wonder “what if he comes here and hurts her one day?”
3) What if he DOES come to the job and hurt her, or hurt YOU or hurt others in the process?
4) What if your co-worker loses her job or quits as a result of domestic violence?
5) What about when you have to pick up the slack because your co-worker is often absent from work?
All of these describe ways YOU are impacted at work. Your safety and the safety of others in the workplace could be at risk. You may worry about your colleague when she shows up to work with bruises or in tears. Your workload might increase because of frequent absences. You may witness uncomfortable displays of control, humiliation and anger toward your co-worker by the abusive spouse. The effects go on and on.
Defending Our Lives: Getting Away From Domestic Violence & Staying Safe
