Domestic Violence in the Workplace

Life Span is committed to educating the public about the impact and extent of domestic violence in our community, with the ultimate goal of eliminating it from our society.

• Justice Department statistics indicate that every day, 2,400 men and women in the United States are battered. These victims (and their batterers) come to work.

• Medical expenses attributed to domestic violence cost American businesses approximately $3 to $5 billion per year, coupled with an additional $100 million a year in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism, and non-productivity.

• A recent study by the USPS Commission on A Safe and Secure Workplace found that five percent of employees in the national workforce said they were physically assaulted at work in the past year. These assaults include throwing something, pushing, grabbing, slapping, hitting or kicking, hitting with an object, beating, rape or attempted rape, and the threat or use of weapons.

• Three percent of employees in the national workforce say they were physically assaulted at work by a coworker in the past year.

• One large Illinois company found that 26% of the workplace threats they received in 1999 were related to domestic violence.

• According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, homicide is the leading cause of death of women in the workplace. An average of three women per week are killed by partners at their place of work.
  Source: "Guidelines for Addressing Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Model       Guide For Employers", Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.

Domestic violence is a workplace concern. It can result in reduced productivity, increased medical expenses, absenteeism, and increased risk of violence at work.

The workplace can be an ideal site for employees facing domestic violence to get help. It's where many spend at least eight hours a day, away from their abusers.

You Can Make A Difference

 
Source:
"Responding to Domestic Violence: Where Federal Employees Can Find Help",
US Office of Personnel Management.

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