When Home Violence Follows Survivors to Work
A few years ago in a small West Virginia county, a woman named Wanda — a pseudonym used to protect her identity — asked her employer for time off to deal with a dangerous situation at home. Her request was denied. Shortly afterward, the abusive partner she had been trying to escape showed up at her workplace and threatened her at gunpoint. Police were called, and the entire office had to shut down for the rest of the day.
This story, shared with Fast Company by Samuel "Raymie" White — Wanda's lawyer and the Legal Services Director for the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence — captures a hard truth that too many businesses are slow to recognize: domestic violence is not just a private, personal matter. For working survivors, it is unavoidably a workplace issue, too. And when employers fail to acknowledge that, everyone pays the price.
The Business Case for Taking Domestic Violence Seriously
Many employers instinctively treat intimate partner violence as something that happens behind closed doors, outside the scope of their responsibility. But the data and real-world incidents tell a very different story. When an abusive partner decides to escalate, the workplace often becomes the battleground — simply because it is one of the few places an employer-dependent victim can reliably be found.
White is direct about the practical consequences: "Situations like his clients' end up disrupting business for hours. They have to call the police, the police have to show up, they have to deal with this threat. It's really to employers' advantage to work with victims." In other words, turning a blind eye does not protect a company from the fallout of domestic violence. It almost guarantees it.
Beyond the immediate safety threat, absenteeism, reduced productivity, and high staff turnover are all documented consequences of unaddressed intimate partner violence in the workforce. Supporting a survivor early — with flexible scheduling, safety planning, or access to resources — costs far less than the disruption of a crisis unfolding in the middle of a workday.
Survivors Are Staying Silent — and That Silence Carries Risk
One of the most significant barriers to addressing domestic violence at work is the silence that surrounds it. According to a 2025 survey by social justice nonprofit Futures Without Violence, 53% of domestic violence survivors did not disclose their abuse to their employers, citing fear of discrimination, job loss, or retaliation.
This silence has serious consequences. When a survivor cannot safely ask for help — whether that means a schedule adjustment, a change in where they park, or simply having security alerted — their employer cannot take steps to protect them or their coworkers. The threat remains invisible right up until the moment it becomes impossible to ignore.
This is not a failure of the survivor. It is a failure of workplace culture and policy. When employees believe that being honest about their circumstances will cost them their jobs, they make the rational choice to say nothing. Employers who want to change this dynamic must start by actively communicating that their workplace is a safe place to ask for help.
What Workplace Protections Exist for Survivors?
Many survivors and employers alike are unaware of the legal protections that already exist in many jurisdictions. Depending on the state or country, survivors of domestic violence may be entitled to a range of workplace accommodations and legal protections, including:
- The right to take unpaid leave to attend court hearings, seek medical attention, or make safety arrangements without fear of termination.
- Protection from discrimination or termination based on their status as a domestic violence victim.
- The right to reasonable workplace safety accommodations, such as changes to work location, altered schedules, or restricted access for a specific individual.
- Confidentiality around disclosures made to human resources or management.
The challenge is that awareness of these rights remains dangerously low on both sides of the employment relationship. Employers who do not know what the law requires cannot comply with it. Survivors who do not know their rights cannot invoke them. Closing that knowledge gap is one of the most immediate and impactful steps businesses can take.
What Employers Can Do Right Now
Taking domestic violence seriously as a workplace issue does not require a massive budget or a team of specialists. It requires intention, communication, and policy. Here is where employers can start:
- Develop a clear workplace policy that explicitly addresses domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking. Employees should know the company's stance and what support is available before a crisis occurs.
- Train managers and HR staff to recognize warning signs, respond without judgment, and connect employees with appropriate resources. A poorly handled disclosure can do as much harm as no policy at all.
- Partner with local organizations such as domestic violence coalitions, legal aid societies, and employee assistance programs. These groups can provide expertise, referrals, and even on-site support in some cases.
- Create a culture of psychological safety where employees feel they can speak up without fear of punishment. This means reinforcing confidentiality and following through on anti-retaliation commitments consistently.
- Review leave and scheduling policies to ensure they are flexible enough to accommodate survivors who may need time for legal appointments, counseling, or relocation.
The Broader Stakes: Safety Is Everyone's Responsibility
Wanda's story did not end with her alone being harmed. Her entire office was disrupted, her colleagues were frightened, and her employer bore the costs of a shutdown they could have helped prevent. That is the reality of treating domestic violence as someone else's problem: eventually, it becomes everyone's problem.
Organizations that proactively address intimate partner violence in their workplace policies are not overstepping — they are fulfilling their fundamental duty of care to every employee on their payroll. They are also making a clear statement that the people who work for them are valued as whole human beings, not just as labor.
The conversation about domestic violence and the workplace is long overdue. Survivors deserve workplaces that protect rather than punish them. Coworkers deserve to feel safe at work. And businesses deserve to avoid the entirely preventable disruptions that come from staying silent. The first step is simple: acknowledge that this is, without question, a workplace issue.