Workplace Violence Study Analyses Spill-Over Threat of Domestic Violence

    RALEIGH, NC, October 13, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The study, conducted by Peace at Work, reviews key factors in workplace assaults that stem from domestic violence to provide guidance for security and safety planning. When a victim flees an abusive relationship, often the easiest place for the perpetrator to find the victim is at their workplace, increasing the employer's liability and endangering co-workers and clients.

Among the findings-
• Over 40% of the perpetrators did not try to evade capture after the assault. 32% attempted or committed suicide and 9% either turned themselves in or waited for arriving officers without resisting arrest.
• When the time and place of the assault was known, 20% occurred in the parking lot as the victim was arriving for work, the most common situation. Overall, 42% of the assaults occurred at the beginning of the shift.
• In 67% of the cases where the abuse victim had obtained a restraining order, a firearm was used to commit the assault, despite a federal regulation banning gun ownership by the assailant.
• In only 10% of the cases was it indicated that the employer took any precautions prior to the assault.

Gleaned from media reports from around the world, incidents such as the Pinelake Health and Rehab Center massacre committed in North Carolina by Robert Steward earlier this year highlight the need for employers, human resource managers and security professionals to consider this personal and hidden crisis as a risk to the workplace. However, this type of workplace violence may be one of the easiest to predict as the victims usually are well aware of the threat that they face. The report also gives guidelines and a resources list for the prevention and management of this risk.

The study is available at Peace at Work and includes an offer for a Domestic Violence in the Workplace Training Kit and free webinars on developing prevention programs, addressing abuser employees and conducting outreach to the business community.

Contact
Johnny Lee
Director of Peace at Work
[email protected]
919-274-5515

Website: http://www.peaceatwork.org

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