Intimate Partner Violence, Women, and Work: Coping on the Job

Abstract

Intimate partner violence is a significant health problem for women, with consequences extending to work as well as society at large. This article describes workplace interference tactics, how women cope with violence at work, and workplace supports for a sample of recently employed women with domestic violence orders (DVO; n = 518). Results indicate that violent partners used a wide range of work interference tactics, that women were more likely to tell someone at work about the victimization than they were to hide the information, and that coworkers and supervisors provided a range of supports to women who did disclose their situation. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

Sexual assault and other types of violence in intimate partner relationships

“…The present study has a number of limitations. One is the low response rate, a phenomenon not uncommonly encountered in populations of this type (28). We would have liked to know the characteristics of the non‐responders, but this cannot be ascertained because the questionnaires were anonymous.…”

Interactive training improves workplace climate, knowledge, and support towards domestic violence

“…About 30% of women are affected worldwide and over one‐third (35.6%) of women in the US experience IPV in their lifetime [Black et al, ; World Health Organization, ]. IPV often results in long‐term negative health, economic and social consequences for the survivor and their family, including effects on the survivor's workplace and employment security [Swanberg et al, ; Warshaw et al, ; Tolman, ; LaVan et al, ].This study addresses priorities outlined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Workplace Violence Prevention Research [NIOSH, ]. Specifically, our study focuses on workplace violence category Type IV, Personal Relationships, when the perpetrator does not have a relationship with the workplace, but has a personal relationship with an employee who is the intended victim, most often an intimate or ex‐intimate partner.…”

“…Research has demonstrated IPV spillover to the workplace, affecting productivity and safety [Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, ; Plichta, ; Arias and Corso, ; Swanberg and Logan, ; Swanberg et al, ; CAEPV‐Corporate Alliance To End Partner Violence, ; Reeves and O'Leary‐Kelly, ; Rivara et al, ; Crowne et al, ; Tolman, ; Adams et al, ; LaVan et al, ; Swanberg et al, ; Mankowski et al, ; World Health Organization, ; Laharnar et al, ]. Work related consequences of IPV may include: (i) abuser using work‐interference tactics (harassing co‐workers, affecting employee's ability to get to work, stay at work), (ii) absenteeism due to illness, injury, safety challenges and/or mental health, (iii) reduced job performance and productivity due to employee's difficulty concentrating, safety concerns and absence, (iv) increased workplace costs due to loss of productivity and increased insurance costs (average annual workplace costs for an IPV survivor: $2,400 for absenteeism, $4,300 for workplace distraction, $80 for tardiness; [Reeves and O'Leary‐Kelly, ], and (v) homicide in the workplace, over‐one third (38%) of all female murders in the workplace (1982–2011) were committed by intimate or ex‐intimate partners [U.S. Department of Labor, ].…”

Psychometric Properties of a Modified Version of a Worksite Harassment Tool—Preliminary Findings

“…Consequences associated with intimate partner violence at the workplace manifest in many ways; intimate partner violence adversely affects women's performance and productivity at work because of their inability to concentrate or perform job tasks Swanberg, Macke, & Logan, 2006), leads to lost workdays (Lloyd & Taluc, 1999;Shepard & Pence, 1988;, and can result injob loss (Swanberg et al). Intimate partner violence at the workplace is also costly.…”