The document provides information about domestic violence, including that it involves physical and/or emotional abuse between intimate partners or family members. It notes that anyone can be a victim, although most are women, and that domestic violence has significant impacts in the workplace through decreased productivity, absenteeism, and job loss. The document offers steps employers and victims can take to increase safety, such as establishing workplace policies, providing employee assistance resources, and considering safety accommodations.

1. What is DomesticViolence?
Domestic violence involves the
physical and/or emotional abuse
of one party against another who
are both in some form of social
relationship with each other.
Domestic violence and emotional
abuse are behaviors used by one
person in a relationship to control the
other. Partners may be married or not
married, living together, separated or
dating. Examples of abuse include:
ANYONE CAN BE AVICTIM!
Victims can be of any age, sex,
race, culture, religion, education,
employment or marital status.
Although both men and women
can be abused, most victims are
women.
Already in 2014, we have seen in the news some deadly encounters with a domestic partner or friend who
came to the victim’s workplace either in the hopes of resolving a standing argument or exacting revenge.
Regardless of the intent, the result of the interaction was a either a homicide or serious injury that, in several
cases, led to the perpetrator committing suicide.
n Name-calling or putdowns
n Bullying
n Keeping a partner from contact-
ing their family or friends
n Withholding money
n Stopping a partner from
getting or keeping a job
n Actual or threatened physical
harm
n Sexual assault
n Stalking
n Intimidation
Violence can be criminal and
includes physical assault (hitting,
pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse
(unwanted or forced sexual activity),
and stalking. Although emotional,
psychological and financial abuse
are not criminal behaviors, they are
forms of abuse and can lead to
criminal violence.
The violence takes many forms
and can happen all the time or
once in a while.

2. Most children in these homes
know about the violence. Even if
a child is not physically harmed,
they may have emotional and
behavior problems.
According to CrisisPrevention.
com, domestic violence is
responsible for more individual
harm than muggings, rapes and
car accidents each year. The
seriousness of these incidents
cannot be overstated. A study by
the Center for Disease Control
and Prevention, and the National
Institute of Justice, found that
over two million victims
annually report physical or
sexual assaults at the hands
of an intimate partner.
DomesticViolence in the
Workplace
Domestic violence and its effects
spill over into the workforce on
a regular basis. The statistics are
staggering, yet often overlooked.
The Family Violence Prevention
Fund notes that 74 percent of work-
ing, battered women are harassed
by their partners while at the work-
place. The U.S Dept. of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, found
homicide to be the second lead-
ing cause of death on the job. The
number of rapes and sexual assaults
committed against women on the
job number above 25,000 accord-
ing to the U.S Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor. Further, over one
million women are stalked annually
in the United States and at least of
quarter of them admit to missing
work due to the stalking. The effects
of domestic violence in the
workplace are felt by employees
and employers alike. Productivity,
absenteeism, job loss and increased
health insurance cost are all results
of domestic violence.
Domestic violence in the workplace
has significant impact on the
employee victim.
n Lack of productivity occurs as
a result of the victim being
distracted. Inability to
concentrate is often due to
worrying about being harassed
on the phone or in-person, legal/
court responsibilities and
depression.
n Missing work or showing up
late to work is often sympto-
atic of domestic violence. Injury,
shame and outside medical or
legal responsibilities often con
tribute to absence or tardiness.
Children in
homes where
there is domestic
violence are more
likely to be
abused and/or
neglected.

3. n Job loss is an unfortunate side
effect of domestic violence.
According to CrisisPrevention.
com studies show that anywhere
from 25% all the way up to 90%
of victims had lost a job or re
signed as a result of these issues.
n The stigma of being a
domestic violence victim
continues to be a major issue.
It forces victims to miss work,
hide or lie to family and friends
at work. Less than half of all
victims report their situation to
their supervisors according to
the American Institute on
Domestic Violence.
What Businesses Can Do
Employers should consider insti-
tuting a policy covering domestic
violence (as part of the company’s
workplace violence prevention
policy, which could include,
providing access to experts and
information to assist victims,
offering support through
Employee Assistance Programs
or EAPs and establishing protocols
if an employee notifies the
company that he/she has been
threatened by their friend, spouse
or partner.
Employers should learn about the
specific requirements of the state
laws applicable to their organization.
If a state has a specific law
regarding workplace domestic
violence, an employer should
develop a policy for domestic
violence leave that complies with
the law, either by incorporating it
into existing policy or by having a
separate stand-alone policy.
Employers should also think about
what type of documentation to re-
quire before leave is to be
granted. Any policy must take into
account employee privacy.
Information concerning domestic
violence or sexual abuse victims
must be kept confidential.
Here are some low-cost
accommodations, businesses can
provide such as:
n Offering the services of an
employee assistance program.
n Asking the victim what
changes can be made to the
work environment that would
make him or her feel safer.
n Erect barricades—such as
plants and partitions—around
the employee’s work area so
that the perpetrator cannot
walk directly to him or her.
Employers should take
reasonable steps and
educate the workforce
about possible threats,
including telling
security officers to be
on the lookout for the
abuser and providing
security staff with a
photo of the abuser,
including their vehicle
information.
Victim’s Safety

4. n Give the employee priority
parking and an escort to and
from the parking area.
n Change the employee’s
office phone number, and
remove the employee’s name
from automated contact lists.
n Install panic buttons for the
employee and receptionist.
n Ask local police to patrol the
parking area.
n Educate all employees
company-wide on domestic
violence with the assistance
of local domestic violence
organizations, the police
department and the district
attorney’s office.
For more information
onworkplace violence,
you can contact the
following websites:
n www.domesticviolence.org
n www.shrm.org
n www.crisisprevention.com
n www.workplacebullying.com
n www.cdc.gov
One key note to bring up is that
if an employee refuses help or
denies that any abuse exists, but
the company still suspects that the
employee is being abused and that
the abuser might come to the
workplace, the employer still
has a responsibility to protect the
employee and co-workers on the
premises.
Consider low-cost
accommodations,
such as saving any
threatening messages
received at the
workplace for future
legal action.

5. ATWORK
You may want to...
• Save any threatening emails or voicemail messages. You can use these to take legal action
in the future, if you choose to. If you already have a restraining order, the messages can
serve as evidence in court that the order was violated.
• Park close to the entrance of your building, and talk with security, the police, or a manager
if you fear an assault at work.
• Be aware of your surroundings; always check the interior of your vehicle when you get in
and lock the doors once inside
• Keep your phone in your hand in the event you have to call 911 quickly
• Have your calls screened, transfer harassing calls to security, or remove your name and
number from automated phone directories.
• Relocate your workspace to a more secure area.
• Obtain a restraining order and make sure that it is current and on hand at all times. Include
the workplace on the order. A copy should be provided to the police, the employee’s
supervisor, Human Resources, the reception area, the Legal Department, and Security.
• Provide a picture of the perpetrator to reception areas, access control points and/or
Security.
• Identify an emergency contact person should the employer be unable to contact you.
• Ask Security to escort you to and from your car or public transportation.
• Look into alternate hours or work locations.
• Review the safety of your childcare arrangements, whether it is on-site childcare at
the company or off-site elsewhere. If you have a restraining order, it can usually be
extended to the childcare center.
If you are in a violent relationship, one of the most important steps you can take is to
make a safety plan both for home and the workplace.These plans contain simple but
critical steps you can take to increase your safety while you deal with the violence you
face in your personal life.

6. AT HOME
In case you have to flee, have the following available:
• Important papers such as birth certificates, social security cards, insurance
information, school and health records, welfare and immigration documents, and divorce
or other court documents
• Credit cards, bank account number, and ATM cards.
• Some money
• An extra set of keys
• Medications and prescriptions
• Phone numbers and addresses for family, friends, doctors, lawyers, and community
agencies.
• Clothing and comfort items for you and the children.
If you had the perpetrator evicted or are living alone, you may want to:
• Change locks on doors and windows.
• Install a better security system -- window bars, locks, better lighting, smoke detectors
and fire extinguishers.
• Teach the children to call the police or family and friends if they are snatched.
• Talk to schools and childcare providers about who has permission to pick up the children.
• Find a lawyer knowledgeable about family violence to explore custody, visitation and
divorce provisions that protect you and your children.
• Obtain a restraining order.
If you are leaving your abuser, ask yourself the following questions:
• How and when can you most safely leave? Where will you go?
• Are you comfortable calling the police if you need them?
• Who can you trust to tell that you are leaving?
• How will you travel safely to and from work or school or to pick up children?
• What community and legal resources will help you feel safer? Write down their
addresses and phone numbers, and keep them handy.
• Do you know the number of the local shelter?
• What custody and visitation provisions will keep you and your children safe?
• Is a restraining order a viable option?
If you are staying with your batterer, think about:
• What works best to keep you safe in an emergency.
• Who you can call in a crisis.
• If you would call the police if the violence starts again. Can you work out a signal with
the children or the neighbors to call the police when you need help?
• If you need to flee temporarily, where would you go? Think though several places where
you can go in a crisis. Write down the addresses and phone numbers, and keep them with you.
• If you need to flee your home, know the escape routes in advance.

7. In the event a domestic violence situation does enter the workplace and you are
confronted by an upset and/or emotionally charged person who may become
violent or exhibit threatening behavior, here are some“Do’s and Don’t’s”to help
de-escalate the situation and help protect your safety
• Project calmness: move and speak slowly, quietly, and confidently.
• Be an empathetic listener; encourage the person to talk freely and listen patiently.
• Show in your actions, words and mannerisms that you care about them as a person.
• Focus your attention on the other person to let them know you are interested in what they
have to say.
• Maintain a relaxed yet attentive posture and position yourself at a right angle rather than
directly in front of the other person.
• Acknowledge the person’s feelings (but don’t say, “I know exactly how you feel”, be
cause you don’t) and indicate you can see he or see is upset.
• Ask for small specific favors such as asking the person to move to a quieter area.
• Establish ground rules if unreasonable behavior persists and calmly describe the
consequences of any threatening or violent behavior.
• Use delay tactics which will give the person time to calm down (offer a drink of water)
• Be reassuring and point out choices. Break down big problems into smaller and
manageable ones.
• Ask for recommendations. Repeat back what is being requested of you.
• “I have a question.” Ask the person how you can help them now; this can cause a break
in their ranting and gets them to focus on being reasonable.
• Arrange yourself so that someone cannot block your access to an exit.
• Immediately report any violent or potentially violent situation to building security or
management and call 911.
• Communicate in a way that gives off hostility or indifference such as apathy, brush off,
coldness, going strictly by the rules or giving the individual the “run-around”.
• Be angry, derogatory or use profanity.
• Reject all demands of the person from the start.
• Pose in challenging stances such as standing directly opposite of someone, hands on hips,
crossing your arms, finger pointing, or long periods of eye contact.
• Make sudden movements that could appear threatening.
• Challenge, threaten or dare the person. Notice the tone, volume, rate of speech and never
belittle the person or make them feel foolish.
• Criticize or act impatiently toward the agitated person.
• Make false statements or promises you can’t keep.
• Invade their personal space - keep 3-6 feet between you and the person.
• Turn your back on a hostile person.
DO’S AND DONT’S
DO
DONT