Violence Against Women In The Workplace

"Violence in the workplace is a serious public safety and health issue. The most extreme form of violence, homicide, is the third-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States."

"Violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families, and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence — yet the reality is that too often, it is covered up or tactily condoned."
— UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 8 March 2007

Get Involved!

The following is an excerpt from "Remarks Prepared for Delivery by U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Violence Against Women Summit, Anchorage, Alaska
Wednesday, June 30, 2004"

"Violence in the workplace is a serious public safety and health issue. The most extreme form of violence, homicide, is the third-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States. It is the second-leading cause of death for women in the workplace.

Workplace violence takes an enormous toll on its victims and on our society. Each year, more than 500,000 workers lose more than 1.1 million workdays and more than $55 million in wages due to workplace violence. Billions of dollars are lost every year in productivity, legal expenses, property damage, diminished public image and increased security.

So violence against women is not just a personal or family issue — it's a public policy issue that must be addressed."

The Entire Speech Can Be Found Here

In "A Report to the Tennessee General Assembly", presented by the Tennessee Economic Council on Women, January, 2006:

"Domestic violence incidents in the workplace is escalating and creating additional liability for employers."
"Companies in Tennessee already lose at least $10 Million per year in paid work time due to domestic violence related injuries."
"It is estimated that one out of five workdays missed by women is related to domestic violence."
"Ninety-six percent of battered women experience problems because their abusers call the employer, harass other employees, and stalk the workplace."

What Can Be Done?

Employers must be educated on the subject of domestic violence and become involved in preventing it.

Employers must adopt policies and practices aimed at creating a safe work place for their employees who are domestic violence victims.