(StatePoint) Employers can provide meaningful support to their workers when they face domestic or sexual violence, but a new survey finds most are unprepared to do so. The majority of survivors of domestic violence report that they were in the workforce when the violence occurred, and four in five (79%) say it made it more difficult for them to stay in their jobs. Yet doing so – and maintaining their income – is essential for many trying to create a safe and stable future.
The Intersection of Work and Abuse, a new report, highlights the results of a 2025 online survey of more than 2,000 survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and/or stalking, conducted by the National Domestic Violence Hotline and Futures Without Violence. It finds that more than half of domestic violence survivors did not tell their employers about the violence because they feared they would face discrimination or retaliation, or lose their job, if they did. When survivors did go to their employer for help, often the outcome wasn’t good:
• Less than half (43%) report their employer protected their confidentiality;
• Three in ten (30%) say their employer shared ways they could get help;
• Two in ten (19%) say their employer let them use paid vacation time to address the problem; and
• Even fewer (17%) report their employer offered paid sick time they could use while seeking safety and help.
“That’s a lost opportunity, both for the people experiencing violence who need support and for the businesses that want to keep workers they need and value,” said Futures Without Violence Vice President Ana López Van Balen. “This study should be a call to action for workplace leaders.”
“The fact that we now know so many victims are actively in the workforce while experiencing abuse represents a significant opportunity for intervention and support,” added National Domestic Violence Hotline Policy Director Dorian Karp.
And the new study offers a series of recommendations for employers, including:
• Invest in training and education to help ensure managers and human resources leaders are prepared to support workers facing violence;
• Adopt survivor-centered policies such as paid leave, flexible accommodation, and reasonable adjustments to schedules and assignments for those facing violence; and
• Partner with domestic violence and sexual assault programs, which can help with these initiatives.
Domestic and sexual violence can threaten the economic security of survivors and their families and undermine the success of businesses. By providing better support, employers can help create a safer, more stable and successful future.
Photo Credit: (c) Drazen Zigic / iStock via Getty Images Plus
