Domestic violence against women would seem to be a private family problem, but it spills out into the workplace making it an economic problem as well. Millions of women are verbally, physically, and sexually abused all over the world leading to countless injuries and sometimes even death. This unfortunate and devastating personal problem has several repercussions in the work place. It leaves the victims, and their co-workers, vulnerable to their attackers as well as having emotional implications making them less productive.
Abusers use the workplace to find and harass their victims via phone or email, and can even show up to harm them. Victims can be trapped in low paying jobs because of changing jobs frequently, absenteeism, and lateness; all because of the effects of the abuse. Co-workers have a concern for the victim, as well as needing to take over some of the victim's work, and this reduces productivity further.
According the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), domestic violence victims lose a total of 8 million days of paid work per year, and cost businesses 4.1 billion in health care services, and an additional 727.8 million in productivity losses. The U.S. Department of Justice has found that about 20,000 workers are threatened or attacked at work every year. The leading cause of death in the workplace of women is homicide by intimate partners.
Studies show that knowing the signs of domestic violence against women can lessen the risk of danger to the victims and co-workers. Employers can take steps to protect employees and help them find resources for assistance. They should have policies for recognizing warning signs and training on how to properly communicate with a victim. Additional policies can be in place and employees should be aware of them, and know where to seek help when needed.
An employer should have a formal domestic violence policy on file and in the employee handbook. They should make efforts to provide a secure work environment including safe entry, screening victim's phone calls, and changing her email or phone number if needed. They can also ensure that she is safely escorted to her car, change her payroll address, and change her work station or schedule if considered necessary. These policies keep the victim safe, and will also help them keep their jobs. A company will benefit by having a more productive employee, and the emotional well being of all employees will be more stable.
If we remember the medieval history of the world, there were valiant knights who saved damsels in distress. Remember Sir Arthur and Knights of the Round Table? In today's world a women gets molested and harassed domestically as well as in workplace and these issues go without any notice. Domestic violence sometimes even takes place right in public places. We feel sorry for the poor lady but we just go on with our lives. Where have all those knights gone? How much do these damsels require knights now?
The reason for such violence widespread against women is beyond reasoning. This type of violence is not just limited to poor people living in third world countries but it is prevalent in the developed world as well. Why women are subjected to such violence and by whom they receive this treatment from needs to be researched upon so those women can be given solutions. Just because men are labelled as stronger sex does not mean that they have to control and mistreat the weaker sex.
The bible talks about the creation of Eve after Adam. Since then, Eve has been thought of as Adam's toy, and all the Adams after him have become harsher to Eve by devising more and more cunning ways to abuse her. Can this be the fault of their hormones? Dominating males have made sure that their chauvinistic process will keep the women living on a meager existence as second grade citizens. During the passage of time, gross injustices against women were abolished one by one. Take for example the child marriages and sati system of India. Widows are now allowed to remarry instead of being forced to spend their lives in confinement wishing their lives away. Domestic violence has also become a punishable crime yet violence against women continues under the radar.
The independent modern woman is college educated, has a good income, is self-supporting, and can go wherever she wants. However, the respect she deserves still eludes her. The population of men who support their women full-heartedly is very less compared those who support their women grudgingly. There is something about the male ego that finds it difficult to accept that women can be their equal and that they can them the respect that they deserve.
The media can be partially blamed too, for they have corroded the values, morals, and ethics that are necessary to establish respect for women. Instead of respecting women for their intelligence, the media portrays them as objects of lust. For the sake of ratings, the media promotes the dilemma of women in exchange for her vanity, integrity, a feeling of being wanted, and false pride. Many women fall for these tricks. One thing is for sure: if the modern woman wants to get the respect she deserves and wants to stop the violence against her, she must wake up to these tricks, for she has a hard and hazardous road in front of her and her kind.
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