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BottomLine on domestic violence CORPORATE VOICE Volume 1, Issue 2 Mark D. Landreth, CAE, DPL Chief Executive Officer Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists What role does an organization’s CEO and/or Senior Management have in educating employees about domestic violence? It is incumbent on leaders to ensure the safety of their team members at their workplace and recognize that domestic violence certainly does not stop simply because an employee leaves their home to go to work. CEOs and senior managers should be able to recognize potential signs that one of their workers may be experiencing domestic violence or perpetrating that violence. The last issue of The BottomLine provided an excellent resource for managers in recognizing an employee who may be experiencing domestic violence, this issue provides information on behaviors an abuser may exhibit. Additionally, managers at all levels need to foster an atmosphere in the workplace where their staff knows if they are experiencing domestic violence they will be supported. It is important for businesses as well to be very clear that domestic violence will not be tolerated. Abusers, and only abusers, are responsible for their behavior; businesses must recognize this and hold the abuser accountable within their workplace policies and procedures. Domestic violence is not just wrong, it’s a crime. Have co-workers ever disclosed that they have experienced domestic violence and did you know how to assist and/or where to refer them? This has not happened to me. However, (continued on page 2) BOTTOMLINE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE • 7 Reasons Employers Should Address Domestic Violence Employers face numerous human resource concerns, with limited time and money. Often a decision to focus on a specific problem is not made until the problem becomes significant and costly. Historically, problems with a social stigma are less likely to receive attention, as both employers and employees may be reluctant to acknowledge that these problems exist. Domestic violence was a hidden concern that did not show up on the public’s radar screen until relatively recently. Some employers are addressing it, but many more are not. The following are seven compelling reasons that employers should take action on this issue. Reason 1. Domestic violence affects many employees. Nearly one-third of American women (31 percent) report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives.1 More than one million people report a violent assault by an intimate partner every year in the U.S.2 At least one million women and 371,000 men are victims of stalking in the U.S. each year. Stalkers often follow the victim to the workplace.3 Reason 2. Domestic violence is a security and liability concern. Ninety-four percent of corporate security directors surveyed rank domestic violence as a high security problem at their company.4 Employers who fail to protect their employees from violence at work may be liable. Jury awards for inadequate security suits average $1.2 million nationwide and settlements average $600,000.5 In the case of La Rose v. State Mutual Life Assurance Co., Francesia La Rose’s family filed a wrongful-death action www.fcadv.org against her employer when she was murdered by a former boyfriend at the work site. The employer paid a settlement of $850,000 for failing to protect her after being notified of a specific threat.6 Reason 3. Domestic violence is a performance and productivity concern. In one study of batterers, 41 percent had job performance problems and 48 percent had difficulty concentrating on the job as a result of their abusive behaviors.7 Thirty-seven percent of women who experienced domestic violence reported that the abuse had an impact on their work in the form of lateness, missed work, keeping a job, or career promotions.8 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the annual cost of lost productivity due to domestic violence equals $727.8 million, with more than 7.9 million paid workdays lost each year.9 Reason 4. Domestic violence is a health care concern. The national health care costs of domestic violence are high, with direct medical and mental health care services for victims amounting to nearly $4.1 billion.10 Among women admitted to an emergency room for violence-related injuries, 37 percent were abused by an intimate (continued on page 2) 1 DID YOU KNOW? 7 Reasons partner.11 In a study on the effects of violence, women who experienced any type of violence or abuse were significantly more likely to report being in “fair or poor” health, and were almost twice as likely to be coping with some form of depression.12 Fast Facts About Domestic Violence • A woman is battered every 15 seconds in the United States. • Nearly 33% of women killed in the workplace between 2003-2008 were killed by a current or former intimate partner. • Homicide was the second leading cause of death on the job for women in 2000. • A study of domestic violence survivors found that 74% percent of employed battered women were harassed by their partner while they were at work. • According to a 2006 study from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly one in four large (more than 1,000 employees) private business reported at least one incidence of domestic violence in the past year. • Approximately 37% of women seeking injury-related treatment in hospital emergency rooms were there as a result of injuries inflicted by a current or former spouse or partner. Corporate Voice 2 continued from page 1 I hope everyone would know, in the short term, to connect the victim with the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline or one of the state’s certified domestic violence centers and, if safety is an immediate issue, with local law enforcement. domestic violence does occur every day in every community - victims and perpetrators come from every walk of life. Regularly receiving information about domestic violence in general and specifically about domestic violence in the workplace would be helpful. What type of information would be helpful for your organization’s decision makers in adopting best practices to address domestic violence in the workplace? Domestic violence is an issue that people tend to want to stick their heads in the sand and completely ignore. They believe this couldn’t or wouldn’t happen in my workplace or among my peers. Yet we know the truth is that *The Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists is FCADV’s primary partner in the Opening Clothes Doors annual clothes drive. For the past five years, they have been instrumental in collecting gently worn business attire and accessories for distribution to Florida’s certified domestic violence centers. continued from page 1 Reason 5. Domestic violence is a management issue. In a 2002 survey of senior corporate executives, 91 percent said that domestic violence affects both the private and working lives of their employees.13 In addition, more than half (56 percent) of those surveyed were aware of employees who have been affected by domestic violence.14 In a 1994 survey, 66 percent of executives said their companies’ financial performance would benefit from addressing the issue of domestic violence among their employees.15 Reason 6. Taking action in response to domestic violence works. After participating in domestic violence training at a factory, the rate of employees asking for workplace counseling services for domestic abuse problems was 14 times what it had been prior to the training.16 When a sample group of 40 abused employees at the factory began using the domestic abuse counseling services, their average absence rate was higher than the factory’s average absence rate. After using counseling services, the abused employees reduced their absenteeism rates to normal.17 Reason 7. Employers can make a difference. Numerous corporations, government agencies and domestic violence experts are already addressing domestic violence, with great success. You can make a difference in your workplace and in the lives of employees who are facing abuse! Reprinted from Futures Without Violence, complete article with footnotes is available at: http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/section/our_work/employers_and_employees www.fcadv.org • BOTTOMLINE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Corporate Spotlight The Verizon Foundation The Verizon Foundation is more than just the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications. It is an aspect of the corporate culture instilled by the leadership of Verizon Communications and is pivotal to who and what they are as an organization. The purpose of the Foundation is to have a philanthropic strategy with an emphasis on programs that demonstrate real value for communities through the use of technology. It stands to reason that this organization, which has become synonymous with the cutting edge of telecommunications, would be spreading the word on changing lives throughout the communities we live. Nowhere is that more clear than in the Foundation’s commitment to stopping domestic violence. Since the Foundation’s inception in 2005, one of the primary areas of attention has been to play a pivotal role as a partner in the mission of ending domestic violence. The Foundation has teamed with both national and local organizations such as the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation and the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, just to name a few. The Foundation recognized the need to get involved based on the statistics surrounding domestic violence – that a woman is battered every 15 seconds in the United States, that one in four women are beaten or raped by an intimate partner during adulthood, and that three woman are killed by a current or former intimate partner every day – a statistic that became a reality for one of their employees. While the painful statistics tell a story, the horror of domestic violence came through the doors of Verizon when one of their own employees was murdered at the hands of her husband. The event sparked a call to action and was the driving force behind the documentary “Telling Amy’s Story” (which we will discuss later in this article). The statistics of domestic violence were no more stark, but the impact it had on the Verizon family was deep and the shock waves it sent throughout the entire company took the organization to an even higher level of commitment, focus, and dedication to work toward ending domestic violence. Verizon’s Hopeline program collects no-longer used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any service provider and donates to them. This has BOTTOMLINE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE • www.fcadv.org resulted in more than 106,000 donated phones for those who need a safer way to call for help. And Amy’s story… “Telling Amy’s Story” is a compelling documentary about a mother of two who was shot and killed by her husband. Amy was the Verizon employee mentioned previously. The Verizon-funded film is used as a training tool by communities, nonprofits and universities. No less than 333 public television stations nationwide aired “Telling Amy’s Story” and it has been viewed more than 42,000 times online, both in the United States and in more than 100 countries, further spreading the message of this compelling story. Verizon‘s commitment to ending domestic violence is additionally evidenced through their grant programs, having awarded more than $10 million in grants to domestic violence agencies nationwide, and they continue to be an active and visible partner on a nationwide basis during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. Rose Stuckey Kirk, President of the Verizon Foundation says it best, “Effective and successful companies deliver shareholder value and use their assets to solve the critical societal issues facing the world.” “At the Verizon Foundation, we empower others to live independent, safe and healthy lives by helping them with real issues and disparities.” - Rose Stuckey Kirk 3 HELPFUL TOOLS Recognizing An Abuser An abuser may be found from entry level to executive staff. Although there may be other causes, an employee who is an abuser may behave in the following ways: • Be “invisible” due to exemplary job performance. • May display outbursts of anger toward partner and/or others. • Blame others for problems, especially his partner. • Request special accommodations such as permission to leave early or take emergency leave. • Have frequent absences or lateness to work.* • Make frequent calls or emails to partner.* • Have a changed appearance, for example, from neat to disheveled.* • When speaking with others, there may be frequent and assertive allegations of abuse toward a partner or child. • Give his partner threatening or intimidating looks that cause a victim to look at the abuser before speaking because she is frightened or intimidated. • Answer questions directed toward his 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. *Domestic violence victims/survivors may exhibit these behaviors as well in reaction to the battering. The Lethality of Abusers All abusers are potentially dangerous. The following behaviors are indicators, not predictors, for life-threatening acts of violence: • Threats of violence, including homicide or suicide. • Access to weapons. If an abuser has possession of a weapon, has threatened or used a weapon in the past during an assault, the potential for lethal assault is increased. The use of guns to threaten or assault is a strong predictor of homicide. If an abuser has a history of arson or threat of arson, fire should be considered a potential weapon. • Ownership of the partner. An abuser who believes that he is entitled to his partner’s services, obedience and loyalty is life-endangering. • Centrality of the partner. A man who idolizes his female partner, or who depends heavily on her to organize and sustain his life, or who has isolated himself from all other community ties may retaliate against a partner if she decides to end the relationship. • Separation from the partner. When an abuser believes that he is about to lose his partner, if he can’t envision life without her or if the separation causes great despair or rage, he may choose to kill her. • Escalation of risk by the abuser. When the abuser begins to act without regard to the legal or social consequences, the risk for violence is increased. (Information adapted from: Domestic Violence in the Workplace A Guide for Employers, a project of the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Verizon Wireless,www. acadv.org) FCADV serves as the professional association for Florida’s 42 certified domestic violence centers and is the primary representative of survivors and their children in the public policy arena. The Coalition works to end violence by providing leadership, advocacy, education, training, technical assistance, public policy development, public awareness and support to certified domestic violence centers in Florida. Sponsored by FCADV and the State of Florida, Department of Children and Families. Florida’s Certified Domestic Violence Centers Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Inc. Another Way, Inc. CASA-Community Action Stops Abuse Center for Abuse and Rape Emergencies, Inc. Citrus County Abuse Shelter Association Dawn Center of Hernando County Domestic Abuse Council, Inc. Domestic Abuse Shelter, Inc. Family Life Center Favor House of Northwest Florida, Inc. Harbor House, Inc. Haven of Lake and Sumter Counties, Inc. Ocala Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Center Salvation Army Brevard County Domestic Violence Program Peace River Domestic Violence Center Salvation Army Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Program of Panama City Peaceful Paths Help Now of Osceola County, Inc. Quigley House, Inc. Hope Family Services, Inc. Safehouse of Seminole County Hubbard House, Inc. Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center Lee Conlee House Martha’s House, Inc. Miami-Dade Advocates for Victims Micah’s Place Remember: Help Is Here! Refuge House, Inc. Salvation Army Domestic Violence Program of West Pasco County Serene Harbor, Inc. SafeSpace, Inc. Shelter for Abused Women & Children, Inc. Safety Shelter of St. John’s County (Betty Griffin House) Sunrise of Pasco County, Inc. Shelter House, Inc. The Haven of R.C.S. The Spring of Tampa Bay, Inc. Victim Response, Inc.(The Lodge) Vivid Visions Women in Distress of Broward County YWCA of Palm Beach County (Harmony House Program) Florida Domestic Violence Hotline • 1-800-500-1119 • 24 hours a day/7 days a week www.fcadv.org • BOTTOMLINE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 4