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Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse

Interrupting the Cycle of Violence: Addressing Domestic Violence Through the Workplace

A Report Produced by the Ramsey County Initiative for Violence-Free Families and Communities

Publication Date: Not available


Table of Contents


Preface: A Perspective on Domestic Violence

Several years ago, companies were still debating whether or not domestic violence was a workplace issue. After all, weren't we supposed to stay out of employees' personal issues and stick to those that were job related? The statistics, of course, are staggering, but those things happen at other companies, not ours.

Fortunately, the debate is now over. Too many of us in all types of organizations have personally observed the ways domestic violence impacts each and every one of us. Whether those lessons were learned within our own organization or another we have read about, we've discovered it is happening all around us. No workplace is immune. The media has done a great job educating us about risks; that the workplace is frequently the only place the victim may be located by her partner; or that two out of three times, someone other than the intended target is injured.

When domestic violence occurs, the fear and anticipation of violence can significantly diminish the victim's ability to be productive. That fear also extends to co-workers and supervisors, who, because they work in close proximity to the victim, realize they could be in harm's way if a violent act occurs.

These are real situations that serve to create fear in our employees and the risk of violence in our workplace.

Fear has a profound effect on all of us. It affects our ability to concentrate and be productive. But a victim's fear is particularly unique and profound. It is frequently misunderstood not only by males, but by other females who have had no similar personal experiences. As a result, a woman may be reluctant to report a threat or an attack. She may be unwilling to leave an abusive relationship because she fears her risk will increase. If the incident is reported at work, she may fear the loss of her job, or pressure from peers or her boss to take action which she is not yet ready to take. Or perhaps she fears the unknown - how the employer will react to a threat that may impact the workplace. The more effective a company is in creating an environment where a victim feels safe to report problems, the more successful it will be in learning about these types of risks before there are violent outcomes.

Addressing domestic violence in the workplace does not have to be accompanied by a large budget. Safety precautions may be as simple as allowing a victim to use flexible hours so her arrivals and departures are not predictable; providing a temporary cellular phone to increase her safety as she travels back and forth to work; temporarily transferring her to a different office site; or simply having emergency procedures in place in the event a situation escalates.

Every organization has an opportunity to make a difference by:

Early detection of problems provides organizations an opportunity to reduce and manage risk. This workbook is a tool - a tool which can help you and your organization make a difference. It outlines steps you can take to help curtail domestic violence, for the good of your workplace, your employees, customers, and your community.

-Judi Nevonen, US Bancorp

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How Does Domestic Violence Affect The Workplace?

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, homicide is the leading cause of death of women in the workplace.

What Is Family Violence? What is Domestic Violence?

Family violence falls into the categories of child abuse, partner/spousal abuse, sibling abuse, elder abuse and dating violence. It is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors,including physical, sexual, psychological attacks, and economic coercion which result in causing hurt, fear, injury, suffering or death.

Currently, most instances of family violence in the workplace are in the form of partner abuse. Partner abuse, commonly referred to as Domestic Violence, is any behavior in a relationship that is used to gain or maintain control and power over an intimate partner.

Assaulting someone is a criminal offense. No one has the right to mistreat another person. This is particularly true if that person is a wife, husband, child, parent or live-in partner.

While all forms of family violence hold the potential for affecting the workplace, it is cases of domestic violence that most often spill into the work setting. While we encourage and support workplace efforts to prevent all forms of family violence, the pages that follow focus on efforts to help prevent cases of domestic violence among your employees, as well as steps to help identify and get help to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence within your workforce.

What is the Impact?

The effects of violence that take place at home are associated with many direct and indirect costs to the workplace such as decreased productivity, increased health care costs, absenteeism, errors, employee turnover, time spent coping with problems, and acts of physical violence in the workplace. More and more, business and labor are realizing the heavy toll that domestic violence takes in terms of productivity, morale and creativity. Recent estimates put the cost of violence in the home to American companies as high as $5 billion. Contrary to most employees' beliefs and attitudes, domestic violence does not disappear when men and women leave home and enter the workplace.

For example, did you know:

Two-thirds agreed that a company's financial performance would benefit from addressing the issue of domestic violence among its employees.

Each "minor" incident carries with it the potential for a more serious event. The purpose of addressing domestic violence in the workplace is to prevent potentially dangerous situations from causing more serious harm. Employers have a unique opportunity to prevent the potential of domestic violence spilling over into the workplace, as well as to provide tools and resources to employees that can help end the epidemic of violence in America's homes.

Not only does domestic violence affect the victim at his/her workplace, it affects co-workers. As the perceived danger increases for one employee, the level of distraction and fear for co-workers also increases.

Co-workers may:

Responding to Domestic Violence In The Workplace

You are invited to be a leader in the workplace and community, to make a difference in the lives of individuals in the workplace and where they live. By making the choice to proactively address issues of domestic violence in your organization, you can:

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Recommendations: Here's What You Can Do

In the United States, 86% of corporate leaders agree that companies have responsibility for the general well-being of their employees.

(Source: Addressing Domestic Violence: A Corporate Response, Liz Claiborne, August 1994)

"There are a lot of things companies can do once they recognize this is a very serious problem. And they have to recognize that it isn't just a social and moral issue. It's a financial issue."

-Jerome Rossi, President & CEO of Marshalls, Inc.

Consider the following actions to begin preventing family violence through efforts in the workplace. The recommendations and resources that follow fall into five categories:

Work Culture and Environment

Review the overall work environment. At this time, does your work environment exacerbate or help to prevent the potential for domestic violence?

A recent poll by the National Safe Workplace Institute found the following results to some of the questions outlined above:

-National Safe Workplace Institute's survey of 248 corporate security and safety directors in 27 states

Education

Policy and Procedures

Support Employees in Cases of Domestic Violence/Stalking

In instances where you learn that an employee is currently experiencing domestic violence in her/his life, including being stalked, please consider the following steps:

Please note that these measures can enhance the safety of the employee/victim as well as other employees and customers who could potentially be affected by incidents of family violence spilling over into your workplace.

Community Resources

"As an HR person, I have a responsibility to the organization to provide a staff that's productive. But I also feel a certain ethical and moral responsibility to my employees to give them an environment in which they can be productive. I can't really control their environment outside the workplace, but I can make them aware of the resources that they may want to use."

-Personnel Journal, April 1995, James Carabetta, Director of Human Resources at Wallingford, Connecticut-based Fosdick Corp., which employs 600 people.

Domestic violence presents unique and complex challenges to your workplace. In order to anticipate and prevent potentially serious situations from becoming harmful to all employees, you will need tools and resources. It is not solely your responsibility to resolve and intervene in the problem of domestic violence. Throughout the Twin Cities, schools, faith communities, neighborhood organizations, government and other institutions are working together toward the prevention of domestic violence and support for people who are experiencing it. Your responsibility is to ensure appropriate workplace responses and resources. In addition to the internal policies and services listed in previous sections, you can also link your employees to existing community resources:

Note that while these suggestions are helpful, the most important thing to remember is that employees need to know they can use these services without their job being in jeopardy and that they can trust their employer. Fostering a work environment that exhibits trust and open communication is key to ensuring employees will be able to approach their supervisor and ask for assistance.

Special Thanks

Jennifer T. Go, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, for drafting the "Interrupting the Cycle of Violence" section of the Workbook and Resource Guide.

Lou Powell and Cindy Anderson, Women's Advocates; Jerry Jensen, Domestic Abuse Project; Judi Nevonen, First Bank/U.S. Bancorp; Joan Bilinkoff, Health Partners; and Workplace Action Team members for their support and content in the production of this section.

Mary Elizabeth Berglund, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Department of Public Health for coordinating this effort.

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Appendix 1: Ideas for You

Here's What's Being Done

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Appendix 2: Resources

If there is an emergency, dial 911.

Local (Minnesota)

National

Internet/World Wide Web

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Appendix 2: Resources

Resources

Shelters Location Business Phone Crisis Phone Notes
Alexandra House Blaine 780-2332 780-2330 Provides shelters, support groups, 24-hr. help line
Lewis House Eagan 452-7466 452-7288 Provides shelter, support
Lewis House Hastings 651-437-1291 - Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line
Casa De Esperanza St. Paul 772-1723 772-1611 Bilingual Spanish speaking staff and programs. Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line
Cornerstone Advocacy Service Bloomington 884-0376, 884-9543 884-0330 Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line
Eagle's Nest/Women of Nations St. Paul 222-5830 222-5836 For Native American abused women. Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line
Family Violence Network Lake Elmo 770-8544, TDD 490-5979 770-0777, TDD 490-5979 Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr help line
Harriet Tubman Shelter Minneapolis 827-6105 827-2841 Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line
Hill Home Lake Elmo 490-5979 770-0777 Provides shelter, support
Marilyn Brady House Rochester 1-507-285-1010 1-507-285-1010 Provides shelter, advocacy, support
Sojourner Minnetonka 933-7422 - Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line
Southern Vally Alliance Belle Plaine 873-4214 - Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line
Woman House St. Cloud 1-320-253-6900 1-800-950-2203, 1-320-252-1603 Provides shelter
Women's Advocates St. Paul 227-9966 227-8284 Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line

Resources

Other Resources Location Business Phone Crisis Phone Notes
BIHA (Black, Indian, Hispanic and Asian) Minneapolis 870-1193 - Information and referral for abused women of color
Citizen's Council Victim's Services Minneapolis 348-7874 340-5400 -
Coalition Against Domestic Violence Wisconsin 1-608-255-0539 - -
Community University Health Care Center Minneapolis 627-4774 627-4774 Services for SE Asian Battered Women
Domestic Abuse Office Ramsey County 266-2803 - -
Domestic Abuse Project Minneapolis 874-7063 874-7063 Community intervention and education, therapy, support
Domestic Violence Program-Gay and Lesbian Community Action Council Minneapolis 822-0127, statewide: 1-800-800-0350 822-0661 Provides information, support, and advocacy for same-sex partner abuse
Eastside Neighborhood Services Minneapolis 781-6011 - -
Education for Cooperative Living Minneapolis 521-3646 - -
Family and Children's Services Minneapolis 339-9101 - -
Family Services St. Paul 222-0311 - -
Family Violence Program/Division of Indian Work Minneapolis 827-1795 827-1795 -
Family Violence Network Suburban Ramsey County 770-8544 - Provides community intervention, education, therapy, support
Father's Resource Center Minneapolis/St. Paul 874-1509, 290-4709 - -
IBCA Battered Women's Program Minneapolis 871-7878 - African-American family services
Men's Center - 822-5892 - -
Men's Support Group - 379-6363 - -
Methodist Hosptial AdvoCare Program Minneapolis 939-8656 - -
MN Coalition of Battered Women St. Paul 646-0994 - Community education, resource library, provides advocacy for victims of abuse
Project P.E.A.C.E. Brooklyn Center, Robbinsdale, Maple Grove 533-0733 536-1850 Provides advocacy, intervention, support groups
St. Paul Domestic Abuse Intervention Project St. Paul 645-2824 - Support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line
Unity/Waite House Minneapolis 721-1681 529-9267 Provides advocacy, GEC, job banks, child care, legal services
Wilder Community Assistance St. Paul 221-0048 221-0048 -
Wilder Domestic Abuse Program Blaine 783-4583 - -
WomanKind Burnsville, Edina, Minneapolis 892-2500, 924-5775, 672-2700 - Provides 24-hr. help line, advocacy, education, consultation, volunteer program, support

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Warning Signs of Domestic Violence

Serious violence at the workplace may be prevented by paying attention to the signs of domestic violence when they first appear.

A victim of domestic violence may not show any of these signs, and, taken individually, each one of these signs may apply to every employee on a given day. These indicators should be examined as a whole and provide a frame-work to assess the extent to which a problem may exist.

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Assessing Threats Relating to Domestic Violence

Once you determine there are signs of domestic violence, it is helpful to ascertain the type of situation you may be dealing with. There are a number of questions that will need to be answered, and the first step is to gather information. The best source of information is the victim - the employee. In domestic violence situations, the victim is an essential part of developing a plan for keeping the workplace safe.

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Author Note

This document has been provided for your use through the generous assistance of the Ramsey County Initiative for Violence Free Families and Communities. For more information about Initiative activities, contact Don Gault or Mary Elizabeth Berglund at (612) 266-2461.

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The following projects are a part of the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse (MINCAVA):

MINCAVA Electronic Clearinghouse | The Link Research Project | Violence Against Women Online Resources
VAWnet (Applied Research Forum) | Minnesota Rural Project for Women and Child Safety

MINCAVA is directed by Jeffrey L. Edleson, PhD.

File Last Modified: 42. Copyright © 1995 - 2005 Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse