Tip Sheets

My Coworker is Being Abused. What Should I Do?

Domestic violence affects the workplace when an abuser harasses an employee who is on the job, when a victim is absent because of injuries or less productive due to stress, or when violence occurs at the worksite.¹ Thirty-seven percent of women who experienced domestic violence reported that the abuse had an impact on their work in the form of lateness, missed work, keeping a job, or career promotions.² If an otherwise valuable member of your team has become less productive or more frequently late/absent, it could be that something personal is the cause of the problem.

What Can I Do?

If you are concerned that a coworker or employee is being abused, please:

• Show concern for their personal safety and gently urge them to share what may be upsetting them.

• Advise them to talk to the supervisor or designated staff person to complete a safety plan, which should include a recent photograph of the perpetrator.

• Ask what changes could be made to make them feel safer.

• Suggest that they designate an emergency contact person in case they are missing or unreachable.

• Encourage them to save any threatening e-mail or voice-mail messages. These can potentially be used for future legal action or can serve as evidence that an existing restraining order was violated.

For more information on how to approach a coworker, please visit these sites:

• Assisting Victims At Work

• Recognize. Respond. Refer.

For more information on reducing domestic violence at work, please visit the following sites:

• Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence

• Safe@Work Coalition

1. Family Violence Prevention Fund, available at: http://www.endabuse.org/workplace.

2. EDK Associates for The Body Shop, 1997. The Many Faces of Domestic Violence and Its Impact on the Workplace. New York: EDK Associates.