"Domestic Violence

In The Workplace"

Melody Fogart

Nothing is more fun to sing than "I'll bust the windows out his car" by Jasmine Sullivan or "Before he cheats" by Kerry Underwood. In fact, each as #1 on the record charts. They are female anthems for bad relationships. However, should they be? Would they be, if a man was singing about destroying his girlfriend's car? Do we see Amber Heard versus Johnny Depp differently than Johnny Heard versus Amber Depp? Somehow, I know we would not see it the same way however we should.

Domestic violence is not a female-only reality. And, regardless of gender, it often spills over into the workplace putting security officers, colleagues, and adjacent businesses at risk. More importantly, workplace violence is on the rise.

When we think of workplace violence, we think of active shooters. Actually, homicides in the workplace have decreased. "Despite the downward trend over the past 30 years, nonfatal workplace violence actually increased 34% from 2015 to 2019. This is primarily due to an increase in simple assault in the workplace. From 2015 to 2019, simple assault accounted for 77% of nonfatal workplace violence." ISHN Feb 8, 2023

Simple assault, defined as the threat or attempted injury of another (it does not need to include physical contact), happens as often in restricted spaces as non-restricted spaces. It goes unreported to police and while firearms are the most common weapon in homicides, they are not in aggravated assaults. Violent offenders are most commonly men who act alone. Law enforcement and healthcare workers are more likely to suffer nonfatal injuries that require time off work. That said, the Department of Labor notes that 27% of all violent events in the workplace are tied to some form of domestic violence. Hence, the reasons why we should understand that employees do not leave that part of their lives at home. The whole person comes to work, including their demons!

Let's understand domestic violence. The basic statistics are "44% of full-time employed adults in the US reported experiencing the effect of domestic violence in their workplace; 21% identified themselves as victims of intimate partner violence." according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Generally, these statistics are female centered because men either do not report domestic violence or are not believed when they report or are further bullied for not brushing off the behavior. In 2023, we need to recognize what domestic violence is, looks like, and that it is not limited to women.

So, what does domestic violence look like? Narcissistic behavior that is violent. Violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological actions or threats of actions or other patterns of coercive. Domestic violence is violence committed by someone in the victim's domestic circle. This includes partners and ex-partners, immediate family members, other relatives, family friends and colleagues. The term 'domestic violence' is used when there is a close relationship between the offender and the victim. 

Next time, a woman comes to the office to key her boyfriend's car or to embarrass him in front of colleagues by either striking him or screaming at him, understand that man is experiencing domestic violence. When a woman constantly follows a male co-worker, even though he has informed her that he is not interested in a sexual or consensual relationship beyond work, that is just as inappropriate as the guy who keeps sending his female co-worker suggestive emails. There is a thin line between flirting and harassing. 

Domestic violence in the workplace is not about men or women, it is purely about power and violence.

Let's look out for each other.

Regards,

Melody