Domestic abuse affects your entire life. It changes how you think, feel and behave at home, and at work.
Doreen Slessor, executive director at St. Albert Stop Abuse in Families, wants employers and employees alike to watch out for their co-workers. Domestic abuse, she says, is everyone’s business.
At an open house event on Wednesday evening she asked the gathered crowd what they would do if someone’s abusive partner showed up at the office.
“Domestic violence doesn’t stay at home. It leaks into the workplace, it leaks into so many different social situations,” she said.
“So many of our clients have huge issues with their workplaces: ‘I’ve left my spouse and he knows where I work. He’s waiting for me in the parking lot,’” she said.
“It’s not really public knowledge how it affects day-to-day life of people. People think that once you leave the marriage or the relationship, everything’s OK. Lots of times it just gets worse or it changes. Sometimes people stay because they can predict what’s going to happen and they can keep themselves safe within the confines and the boundaries of their home.”
She added that while men are most often the perpetrators of abuse and violence, a growing number of them are coming forward as the victims too.
“Men have issues too that they’re going to lose their jobs because they’re having to take time off with counselling and school pick-ups and drop-offs, court, custody and keeping one step ahead of the system.”
According to Slessor, domestic violence has been identified as the fastest growing type of workplace violence in this country. She added that domestic homicide is the leading cause of workplace death for women in the United States.
She continued by adding that 70 per cent of the victims of family violence said their abusive partners interfered with their work.
St. Albert RCMP reported 263 incidents of domestic violence in all of 2010. So far this year there have been 223 incidents reported.
SAIF offers free help and programs to business owners or managers who are looking for training or education in recognizing abuse or developing safety plans for their staff.
“Give us a call and we can do a presentation at your workplace or we can meet with senior managers to discuss situations and scenarios on how to keep your employees safe, your customers safe, your co-workers safe … and [help] with understanding that it’s not the person’s fault that they’re in this situation,” Slessor said.
“They need some assistance getting through it, some compassion and some understanding. There’s some really huge safety risks for everyone,” she added. “We’ve always had this available but I don’t think that people have realized that we do it or how important it is.”
SAIF can be reached at 780-460-2195 or through its website at www.stopabuse.ca. Albertans can also call the Family Violence Information Line at 310-1818. The toll free phone service is available 24 hours a day.
