Opinion: Workplaces can be first line of defense for domestic violence

In the U.S., research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds over 1 in 3 women and nearly 1 in 4 men have experienced physical or sexual violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner.

You may not know the stories of those in your life who have faced domestic abuse, but you know their names. The numbers show that survivors or people actively experiencing abuse are all around us – they are our neighbors, friends, co-workers and clients.

Additional research from the CDC finds that across the country, 8 million workdays are lost each year due to intimate partner violence. And the economic toll of IPV on the U.S. economy is shocking: $8.3 billion annually, according to the Society for Human Resource Management and the Workplaces Respond organization. Up to 60% of survivors report they end up losing their jobs due to reasons stemming from the abuse.

The impact is clear. But what’s the role of workplaces? I believe we can be a safe space and starting point to access resources. In our community, Harmony House, the Greene County Family Justice Center and The Victim Center provide free support to survivors. Training is also available to help employers and co-workers recognize the signs of domestic violence, understand how it can impact workplaces and develop meaningful policies to support employees.

In partnership with Harmony House, Springfield Business Journal created an Employer Toolkit including IPV policies, incident response tips, informational posters and training videos. These tools can be accessed at no cost at SBJ.net/IPVEmployerToolkit.

As a chair of Harmony House’s iCare awareness fundraiser for domestic violence for the past few years, I can tell you the time and investment into developing a policy around IPV at work is worth it. Employers often share stories about how even the simple act of putting up a poster with information on how survivors can get help led to conversations with employees facing abuse – and many report those employees are now living a life free of abuse. Workplaces don’t have to have all the answers, but they can be the door employees walk through to start their journey to safety.

I recently connected with Jared Alexander, executive director of Harmony House, and he said call volume at the shelter’s hotline is increasing.

“We hate that so many people are having the need to call, but the call volume going up because they know where to call for help – that feels good,” he says. “People feel comfortable reaching out for support even if they don’t have to escape at that moment to get to shelter. They can call and ask questions and create a safety plan. More people are aware of where to find help and are willing to ask for it.”

He attributes the increased access to information to area businesses.

“It feels really great that this community is willing to post those resources for anyone that they encounter,” he says.

In 2022, Alexander said Harmony House served 307 individuals. And across a 22-county southwest region of the state, it provided 52% of safe bed nights, or nights survivors spent at shelters. That’s according to an annual report by the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Harmony House also answered 37% of the hotline calls in the southwest region.

“The pressure is on at Harmony House,” Alexander says of the demand for services.

The coalition’s report bears that out, noting that 974 requests for services in the southwest region were unmet due to agencies’ lack of resources including staff, shelter space and not enough funding. As awareness increases, Alexander says, so does the number of people reaching out for help. And many shelters across the state are working to scale-up to meet that demand.

Every minute in the U.S., an average of 24 people are victims of sexual or physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner, according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. That’s more than 12 million women and men each year.

I commend area workplaces who have joined in the effort to boost awareness and help connect their co-workers and customers to resources. Domestic violence is pervasive and has the power to destroy. Collectively, we have the power to change the story.

Springfield Business Journal Executive Editor Christine Temple can be reached at ctemple@sbj.net.