How Businesses Can Address Domestic Violence

The stereotype of domestic violence victims staying home raising children while a spouse brings home the salary is outdated and unsustainable in the current economy. Many victims go to work every day yet are trapped as soon as they get home within an abusive relationship. But working in a professional setting (as opposed to teleworking) provides opportunities for coworkers and managers to detect evidence of abuse and provide support.

The dynamics of disclosure are important within any workplace because management is unlikely to find about employee victimization without some type of disclosure. And when relevant information is revealed, companies with appropriate policies and procedures in place ensure that recipients of such information will know how to memorialize it, where to send it, and what their obligations are from there.

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Professional Response to Personal Trauma

Tackling one of the most important contemporary issues within the modern workplace, Charlotte M. Karam et al. (2023) examined the boundaries of business response to intimate partner violence (IPV).¹ They recognize IPV as an urgent social issue, defined as the abuse of power within an intimate partner relationship, with the perpetrators primarily being male. When examining IPV within businesses, they acknowledge the importance of organizational response.

Karam et al. examined four approaches to business responsibility and IPV, and the impact on survivors. Among other observations, they noted the potential negative impact organizations can have on IPV victims, often prompted by patriarchal norms in the workplace and lack of policies and procedures designed to address IPV. In attempting to minimize potentially negative consequences, they note that disclosure should not be required for a victim to have organizational support.

Acknowledging that it is a challenging subject, Karam et al. conclude that work-related IPV requires a unique ethical standard of research. Their call to action asks businesses to embrace the challenges and discomfort, advancing the likelihood of effective interventions and, ultimately, violence prevention.

Practical Response to Personal Trauma

Even when a domestic violence victim doesn’t formally disclose, if violence is suspected, workplace security measures can be helpful. Most victims aren’t looking for remote work options if they live with their abusers, because that would not only expose them to greater harm but would also remove the opportunity for perceptive co-workers to spot signs of abuse. But victims can benefit from schedule changes that enhance safety. For example, if an angry ex-paramour has been spotted lurking outside a victim’s workplace, she shouldn’t have to walk to her car at night through a dark parking lot where she will be unnecessarily vulnerable if a different work shift is available.

If a victim denies domestic abuse, fails to engage in a discussion about her personal life, or is otherwise uncooperative with an ongoing investigation, companies can still offer measures to enhance workplace safety. Managers can offer to have a security officer walk a victim to her car and ensure any business key card access is current. They can also ensure that employees know how to report a threatening situation, either direct or indirect, as well as the steps involved in a subsequent investigation, and how to provide relevant details.

Through formalized company policy paired with personalized practical response, organizations can increase workplace safety, protect victims, and prevent violence.