Last time I checked, the “ClicktoEmpower” clicker was at 232,394 – they are approaching the 50,000 to go mark! Thanks to all of you so dedicated to “clicking” and sharing this easy way to help victims of domestic violence with friends. The goal is to click to 300,000.
Each click represents $1 donated by The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program to the Education and Job Training Assistance (EJTA) Fund, with a total contribution of up to $300,000. The EJTA Fund helps domestic violence survivors pursue long-term financial security by providing vital financial assistance for education, training and job-related expenses. Clicking is easy -- and you can help someone get access to books and supplies for school, job-training skills, certification fees, tuition, registration fees, childcare, and more!
I have personally seen the EJTA Fund in action – and seen first-hand what a difference it can make in the life of a victim of domestic violence who is trying to gain long-term financial security. Believe me, it works!
Allstate is a company I appreciate – I know they are an insurance company and I know that does not always make them a "popular" kind of company, but they have done a lot of really cool things by taking what they are good at (financial stuff) and applying it to helping victims of domestic violence. To learn more about Allstate and their commitment, check out our “Member of the Month” page on the CAEPV website.
Please keep clicking – and watch that arrow move toward the $300,000 mark!!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
So. . .THAT'S Who Domestic Violence Happens To. . .
Lately it seems like there have been several "high profile" people in the news accused of commiting domest violence - parents of actors or actors or athletes. And people are often shocked because "domestic violence does not happen to people like that."
I remember when I was at an upscale clothing store buying a suit and the salesperson asked me what I did and I was explaining it. The salesperson noted they were surprised that the kinds of businesses I worked with "had that kind of problem" (domestic violence). I pointed out that if they did not, I would not have a job.
The point is -- it can happen to ANYONE. And it does.
I don't fault people for not knowing that because people don't necessarily openly and easily discuss hurtful things like violence or abuse in their most intimate relationships -- especially if it might cost them their jobs.
I was talking with a woman this weekend about what I do, and she said "I know it can happen to anyone -- it is happening in my family. . .and maybe if my relative's employer provided resources and assistance like you are talking about, she would not feel so trapped and feel like she could reach out for help."
That is really what we are trying to do - provide avenues for help -- recognizing it is an issue for employees and an issue for workplaces. And a workplace can do well by doing good.
And this is also why I am so excited about the S2 - Safer, Smarter, Workplace Conference that the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence is hosting in November sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. We are bringing together employers and Employee Assistance Providers (EAPs) from across the country to leverage how we can all best address this issue. Just imagine -- EAPs reach millions and millions of employees each year through hundreds of thousands of employers. And what if each and every time an employee in a domestic violence situation called the EAP -- the person on the other end was best equipped to help with resources and assistance and was in the best partnership possible with the employer? It is very exciting to me!
It is just one aspect of the issue, but we hope to make a difference.
I was doing an interview for a magazine a few weeks ago, and a journalist asked me the biggest "myth" about domestic violence and professional people. I said it was that "it could not happen" to a professional person because they would be "too smart" or "too educated" and would know better. The fact is, that simply is not true. It, sadly, can happen to anyone.
And I hope that someday, everyone can look around them and realize that it can be as close as next door, or the next office, and reach out to help.
I remember when I was at an upscale clothing store buying a suit and the salesperson asked me what I did and I was explaining it. The salesperson noted they were surprised that the kinds of businesses I worked with "had that kind of problem" (domestic violence). I pointed out that if they did not, I would not have a job.
The point is -- it can happen to ANYONE. And it does.
I don't fault people for not knowing that because people don't necessarily openly and easily discuss hurtful things like violence or abuse in their most intimate relationships -- especially if it might cost them their jobs.
I was talking with a woman this weekend about what I do, and she said "I know it can happen to anyone -- it is happening in my family. . .and maybe if my relative's employer provided resources and assistance like you are talking about, she would not feel so trapped and feel like she could reach out for help."
That is really what we are trying to do - provide avenues for help -- recognizing it is an issue for employees and an issue for workplaces. And a workplace can do well by doing good.
And this is also why I am so excited about the S2 - Safer, Smarter, Workplace Conference that the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence is hosting in November sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. We are bringing together employers and Employee Assistance Providers (EAPs) from across the country to leverage how we can all best address this issue. Just imagine -- EAPs reach millions and millions of employees each year through hundreds of thousands of employers. And what if each and every time an employee in a domestic violence situation called the EAP -- the person on the other end was best equipped to help with resources and assistance and was in the best partnership possible with the employer? It is very exciting to me!
It is just one aspect of the issue, but we hope to make a difference.
I was doing an interview for a magazine a few weeks ago, and a journalist asked me the biggest "myth" about domestic violence and professional people. I said it was that "it could not happen" to a professional person because they would be "too smart" or "too educated" and would know better. The fact is, that simply is not true. It, sadly, can happen to anyone.
And I hope that someday, everyone can look around them and realize that it can be as close as next door, or the next office, and reach out to help.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Illinois Governor Signs "Cindy Bischof Law" Allowing Courts to Order Abusers to Wear GPS When Restraining Orders Have Been Violated
This is a follow up to a situation I've written about in the past few months -- so I wanted to make sure to post this:
CHICAGO – Joined by a bipartisan group of state legislators, domestic violence prevention advocates and the family of domestic abuse victim Cindy Bischof, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed legislation to strengthen protections for domestic violence victims from their abusers. Senate Bill 2719, sponsored by State Senator Susan Garrett (D-Highwood) and State Representative Suzanne Bassi (R-Palatine), allows the courts to order an abuser to wear a GPS tracking device as a condition of bail in instances when a restraining order has been violated.
The legislation was sparked by the tragic event surrounding the death of Cindy Bischof whose ex-boyfriend was able to obtain a gun and shoot her in the parking lot of her real estate business, even after he had been arrested and prosecuted for violating a restraining order on two occasions.
“It is with a heavy heart for the Bischof family that I sign this legislation to enhance our state’s protections for domestic abuse victims,” said Governor Blagojevich. “The loss of their daughter was a terrible tragedy, but the Bischof family has used the heartbreak of her death to protect others like Cindy, who live in fear of their abuser. With this legislation, we will further help victims of domestic violence by monitoring their abusers whereabouts and aiding law enforcement in tracking violations of a restraining order.”
The law is effective January 1, 2009.
In a domestic violence case, if a domestic abuser is arrested for violating a restraining order and appeals for bail, the Cindy Bischof Law requires that the abuser must undergo a risk assessment evaluation and gives the court authority to require a GPS device be worn if bail is granted. In addition, the court must order the abuser to be evaluated by a partner abuse intervention program and order the respondent to follow all recommendations. The law also establishes an abuser’s failure to attend and complete a partner abuse intervention program as a new offense if the restraining order is violated.
The new law also adds at least a $200 additional fine to every penalty on a violation of a restraining order conviction. The fines will be deposited into the newly established Domestic Violence Surveillance Fund.
“Our family, friends, and foundation thank the General Assembly and the Governor for acting quickly and decisively to pass this legislation which will go a long way toward helping victims of domestic violence maintain some semblance of freedom from their offender in stalking situations,” said Michael Bischof, brother of Cindy Bischof.
Finally, the bill establishes the Domestic Violence Surveillance Program where the supervising authority over the abuser (whether it is the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Patrol Review Board or the court) will use the most modern GPS technology to track domestic violence offenders and defines what capabilities the GPS tracking system must have. The Division of Probation Services must establish all standards and protocols to implement the program.
The Governor was joined today at the Jane Addams Hull House by Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Plainfield), State Senator Susan Garrett (D-Highwood), State Representative Michael McAuliffe (R-Chicago), State Representative Patricia Bellock (R-Westmont), State Representative Dennis Reboletti (R-Addison), family and friends of Bischof Family, Assistant State’s Attorney Ketki Steffan of the 3rd Municipal District, Denise Snyder of the Illinois Coalition against Domestic Assault, Maria Pesquiera of Mujeres Latina en Accion, and other advocates who provide assistance for domestic violence victims.
“Here today we honor the memory of Cindy Bischof by helping to protect battered women from their abusive stalkers. I am pleased to stand here with this bipartisan group to witness the signing of this important legislation,” said House Minority Leader Cross.
“The Cindy Bischof Law will help law enforcement officials protect families through use of GPS systems, strengthen existing laws for protecting families, and may save lives,” said Senator Garrett.
“It was my honor to be a part of drafting and passing this important piece of legislation which will provide a much greater degree of protection for victims of domestic violence then has thus far been the case,” said Representative Bassi who was out of the state for the bill signing.
The legislation signed by the Governor is similar legislation passed in Massachusetts last year which tracked domestic abusers with GPS and used GPS to enforce protection orders against convicted abusers. Until today, GPS use in Illinois has been only utilized by the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice to track sex offenders.
8-21-08 UPDATE: After reading the blog, Ms. Magazine contacted me and let me know about an article they had regarding GPS and tracking offenders. It is located at http://www.msmagazine.com/Summer2008/GPStracking.asp.
CHICAGO – Joined by a bipartisan group of state legislators, domestic violence prevention advocates and the family of domestic abuse victim Cindy Bischof, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed legislation to strengthen protections for domestic violence victims from their abusers. Senate Bill 2719, sponsored by State Senator Susan Garrett (D-Highwood) and State Representative Suzanne Bassi (R-Palatine), allows the courts to order an abuser to wear a GPS tracking device as a condition of bail in instances when a restraining order has been violated.
The legislation was sparked by the tragic event surrounding the death of Cindy Bischof whose ex-boyfriend was able to obtain a gun and shoot her in the parking lot of her real estate business, even after he had been arrested and prosecuted for violating a restraining order on two occasions.
“It is with a heavy heart for the Bischof family that I sign this legislation to enhance our state’s protections for domestic abuse victims,” said Governor Blagojevich. “The loss of their daughter was a terrible tragedy, but the Bischof family has used the heartbreak of her death to protect others like Cindy, who live in fear of their abuser. With this legislation, we will further help victims of domestic violence by monitoring their abusers whereabouts and aiding law enforcement in tracking violations of a restraining order.”
The law is effective January 1, 2009.
In a domestic violence case, if a domestic abuser is arrested for violating a restraining order and appeals for bail, the Cindy Bischof Law requires that the abuser must undergo a risk assessment evaluation and gives the court authority to require a GPS device be worn if bail is granted. In addition, the court must order the abuser to be evaluated by a partner abuse intervention program and order the respondent to follow all recommendations. The law also establishes an abuser’s failure to attend and complete a partner abuse intervention program as a new offense if the restraining order is violated.
The new law also adds at least a $200 additional fine to every penalty on a violation of a restraining order conviction. The fines will be deposited into the newly established Domestic Violence Surveillance Fund.
“Our family, friends, and foundation thank the General Assembly and the Governor for acting quickly and decisively to pass this legislation which will go a long way toward helping victims of domestic violence maintain some semblance of freedom from their offender in stalking situations,” said Michael Bischof, brother of Cindy Bischof.
Finally, the bill establishes the Domestic Violence Surveillance Program where the supervising authority over the abuser (whether it is the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Patrol Review Board or the court) will use the most modern GPS technology to track domestic violence offenders and defines what capabilities the GPS tracking system must have. The Division of Probation Services must establish all standards and protocols to implement the program.
The Governor was joined today at the Jane Addams Hull House by Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Plainfield), State Senator Susan Garrett (D-Highwood), State Representative Michael McAuliffe (R-Chicago), State Representative Patricia Bellock (R-Westmont), State Representative Dennis Reboletti (R-Addison), family and friends of Bischof Family, Assistant State’s Attorney Ketki Steffan of the 3rd Municipal District, Denise Snyder of the Illinois Coalition against Domestic Assault, Maria Pesquiera of Mujeres Latina en Accion, and other advocates who provide assistance for domestic violence victims.
“Here today we honor the memory of Cindy Bischof by helping to protect battered women from their abusive stalkers. I am pleased to stand here with this bipartisan group to witness the signing of this important legislation,” said House Minority Leader Cross.
“The Cindy Bischof Law will help law enforcement officials protect families through use of GPS systems, strengthen existing laws for protecting families, and may save lives,” said Senator Garrett.
“It was my honor to be a part of drafting and passing this important piece of legislation which will provide a much greater degree of protection for victims of domestic violence then has thus far been the case,” said Representative Bassi who was out of the state for the bill signing.
The legislation signed by the Governor is similar legislation passed in Massachusetts last year which tracked domestic abusers with GPS and used GPS to enforce protection orders against convicted abusers. Until today, GPS use in Illinois has been only utilized by the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice to track sex offenders.
8-21-08 UPDATE: After reading the blog, Ms. Magazine contacted me and let me know about an article they had regarding GPS and tracking offenders. It is located at http://www.msmagazine.com/Summer2008/GPStracking.asp.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Pink and Purple Prevention - Raising Awareness for Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence
Here is just the coolest idea we got today from our friends at Alternatives Incorporated in Marion County, Indiana.
On October 4 from 8:30 AM to 12:00 Noon they are having an event entitled "Pink and Purple Prevention is our Intention" to raise awareness for breast cancer and domestic violence. It is at Anderson University and is co-sponsored by Alternatives Incorporated, Community Hospital Anderson, Anderson University, Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. To view the flier, click on http://www.caepv.org/membercenter/files/pink_and_purple_flyer.pdf.
What a great idea! It is so difficult organizations and employers who feel they have to "choose" between domestic violence awareness activities and breast cancer awareness activities during October -- and this way they do not have to!
I hope others across the country are able to take this idea and run with it! If you would like more information, you can reach out to Mary Jo Lee the CEO of Alternatives Incorporated at
mjlee@alternativesdv.org.
On October 4 from 8:30 AM to 12:00 Noon they are having an event entitled "Pink and Purple Prevention is our Intention" to raise awareness for breast cancer and domestic violence. It is at Anderson University and is co-sponsored by Alternatives Incorporated, Community Hospital Anderson, Anderson University, Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. To view the flier, click on http://www.caepv.org/membercenter/files/pink_and_purple_flyer.pdf.
What a great idea! It is so difficult organizations and employers who feel they have to "choose" between domestic violence awareness activities and breast cancer awareness activities during October -- and this way they do not have to!
I hope others across the country are able to take this idea and run with it! If you would like more information, you can reach out to Mary Jo Lee the CEO of Alternatives Incorporated at
mjlee@alternativesdv.org.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Oklahoma Attorney General and Wal-Mart Partner Against Domestic Violence
I know there can be a lot of healthy discussion about the pros and cons of Wal-Mart, but the fact that they are everywhere cannot be disputed. And since that is true, they can provide a truly valuable resource to victims of domestic violence through programs like the one described below which started as a pilot program in Oklahoma and is now going statewide. Wal-Mart also has a similar program with the Attorney General's office in South Carolina.
The YWCA's Oklahoma Safeline has gotten nearly 40-percent busier in four months’ time, said Attorney General Drew Edmonson on Wednesday. And there is good reason to believe that many of the women calling the domestic violence and sexual assault hotline for the first time were Wal-Mart shoppers.
That’s because Wal-Mart and the attorney general’s office had partnered on a pilot program to let more women know there is help available to them if they are suffering from abuse.
For four months, beginning in November 2007, 10 Wal-Mart stores put up informational posters in women’s restrooms and fitting rooms.
The poster shows a woman and young boy, sitting on a public bench, a suitcase and a teddy bear on the ground nearby. The poster reads, in part, “Domestic Violence – Tell Someone … End the Silence, End the Violence.” The posters include small tear-off pads with the Oklahoma Safeline phone number and directions in English or Spanish encouraging the abused to call.
“It’s small, so a woman can put it in her purse or her pocket and call when she’s safe,” said Edmondson. Often, an abused woman will be so controlled by the abuser that she is rarely in public without him. “A quick trip to the Wal-Mart bathroom might be her only opportunity to seek help safely,” said Edmondson. “Our partnership with Wal-Mart has proven invaluable as a means to spread a message.”
The average increase in Safeline calls in the 10 communities where Wal-Mart placed posters was 39.4 percent. Two pilot stores were in Oklahoma City, and two were in Tulsa. In Poteau, Durant, Enid, Miami, Weatherford and Guymon, one store in each community featured the posters.
“It was kind of gradual,” said Stillwell regarding the bump in calls to the hotline. Oklahoma Safeline serves the entire state, but the increase in some areas was substantial. In Clinton, 15 miles west of Weatherford, the local domestic violence and sexual assault center marked a 215-percent increase in services provided.
Wal-Mart spokesperson Angela Stoner said that in many rural areas in particular, the Wal-Mart store serves as the heart of the community, where residents come for living necessities and even to socialize. But the level of the increase in calls to the Safeline was unexpected.
“Once we found out about the increase, we were more committed than ever to take this program to every store in the state,” said Stoner. All 85 Wal-Mart Supercenter and discount stores in Oklahoma will place the posters in restrooms and fitting rooms. Wal-Mart is paying the cost to print the posters.
Usually, when the attorney general mentions a company’s name in a press conference, it is to report wrongdoing, said Edmondson.
“It is a pleasure to talk about a company that has stepped up and committed resources to this pilot project,” said Edmondson, adding that the program is saving lives and changing the lives of women and children for the better.
Last year, 23,000 incidents of domestic violence and sexual abuse were reported in Oklahoma, said Josh Beasley, chief development officer for the YWCA. And typically, only one in seven incidents gets reported, he said.
(And just imagine the response if Wal-Mart stores in more states decided to partner with their attorney general's offices to do this!)
The YWCA's Oklahoma Safeline has gotten nearly 40-percent busier in four months’ time, said Attorney General Drew Edmonson on Wednesday. And there is good reason to believe that many of the women calling the domestic violence and sexual assault hotline for the first time were Wal-Mart shoppers.
That’s because Wal-Mart and the attorney general’s office had partnered on a pilot program to let more women know there is help available to them if they are suffering from abuse.
For four months, beginning in November 2007, 10 Wal-Mart stores put up informational posters in women’s restrooms and fitting rooms.
The poster shows a woman and young boy, sitting on a public bench, a suitcase and a teddy bear on the ground nearby. The poster reads, in part, “Domestic Violence – Tell Someone … End the Silence, End the Violence.” The posters include small tear-off pads with the Oklahoma Safeline phone number and directions in English or Spanish encouraging the abused to call.
“It’s small, so a woman can put it in her purse or her pocket and call when she’s safe,” said Edmondson. Often, an abused woman will be so controlled by the abuser that she is rarely in public without him. “A quick trip to the Wal-Mart bathroom might be her only opportunity to seek help safely,” said Edmondson. “Our partnership with Wal-Mart has proven invaluable as a means to spread a message.”
The average increase in Safeline calls in the 10 communities where Wal-Mart placed posters was 39.4 percent. Two pilot stores were in Oklahoma City, and two were in Tulsa. In Poteau, Durant, Enid, Miami, Weatherford and Guymon, one store in each community featured the posters.
“It was kind of gradual,” said Stillwell regarding the bump in calls to the hotline. Oklahoma Safeline serves the entire state, but the increase in some areas was substantial. In Clinton, 15 miles west of Weatherford, the local domestic violence and sexual assault center marked a 215-percent increase in services provided.
Wal-Mart spokesperson Angela Stoner said that in many rural areas in particular, the Wal-Mart store serves as the heart of the community, where residents come for living necessities and even to socialize. But the level of the increase in calls to the Safeline was unexpected.
“Once we found out about the increase, we were more committed than ever to take this program to every store in the state,” said Stoner. All 85 Wal-Mart Supercenter and discount stores in Oklahoma will place the posters in restrooms and fitting rooms. Wal-Mart is paying the cost to print the posters.
Usually, when the attorney general mentions a company’s name in a press conference, it is to report wrongdoing, said Edmondson.
“It is a pleasure to talk about a company that has stepped up and committed resources to this pilot project,” said Edmondson, adding that the program is saving lives and changing the lives of women and children for the better.
Last year, 23,000 incidents of domestic violence and sexual abuse were reported in Oklahoma, said Josh Beasley, chief development officer for the YWCA. And typically, only one in seven incidents gets reported, he said.
(And just imagine the response if Wal-Mart stores in more states decided to partner with their attorney general's offices to do this!)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
SAFEWORK 2010 ADDS ANOTHER CEO TO ITS ROSTER
We are pleased to announce Marcia Nagle, President of Longview Associates, Inc., as the newest member of SafeWork 2010. Founded in 1979, Longview Associates, Inc. is a pioneer in the employee assistance program (EAP) industry. Today, Longview Associates, Inc. provides comprehensive personalized programs to the management and employees of over 100 local and national corporations, hospitals, school districts, and other non-profit organizations.
The growing SafeWork 2010 list includes:
Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance Company*
Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc.*
Andrea Jung, Avon Products, Inc.*
Jens Bang, Cone, LLC
Mary Ann Scully, Howard Bank
Andrea Wong, Lifetime Entertainment Services*
William McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc.*
Marcia Nagle, Longview Associates, Inc.*
David B. Holl, Mary Kay Inc.*
Andrew R. Urban, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Dr. Robert Pearl, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente*
Emanuel Chirico, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
Steve Jacaruso, Le Sportsac
Neil L. Rubler, Vantage Properties, LLC
Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless*
*CAEPV Member
All of the above CEOs have signed the SafeWork 2010 Pledge. And what is the Pledge? It is very simple:
I am committed to addressing the issue of domestic violence in the workplace. I recognize that domestic violence impacts my employees, my company and my business. Therefore, I pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness as a member of SafeWork 2010.
CEOs sign the SafeWork 2010 Pledge, committing to address the impact of domestic violence in their workplace. To help them learn more about SafeWork 2010, they receive an awesome CEO Action Kit created by Safe Horizon and CAEPV provided by the generous support of The Allstate Foundation.
If you are interested in having your CEO sign the SafeWork 2010 Pledge, contact Joanna Colangelo at Safe Horizon at joanna.colangelo@safehorizon.org.
The growing SafeWork 2010 list includes:
Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance Company*
Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc.*
Andrea Jung, Avon Products, Inc.*
Jens Bang, Cone, LLC
Mary Ann Scully, Howard Bank
Andrea Wong, Lifetime Entertainment Services*
William McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc.*
Marcia Nagle, Longview Associates, Inc.*
David B. Holl, Mary Kay Inc.*
Andrew R. Urban, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Dr. Robert Pearl, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente*
Emanuel Chirico, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
Steve Jacaruso, Le Sportsac
Neil L. Rubler, Vantage Properties, LLC
Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless*
*CAEPV Member
All of the above CEOs have signed the SafeWork 2010 Pledge. And what is the Pledge? It is very simple:
I am committed to addressing the issue of domestic violence in the workplace. I recognize that domestic violence impacts my employees, my company and my business. Therefore, I pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness as a member of SafeWork 2010.
CEOs sign the SafeWork 2010 Pledge, committing to address the impact of domestic violence in their workplace. To help them learn more about SafeWork 2010, they receive an awesome CEO Action Kit created by Safe Horizon and CAEPV provided by the generous support of The Allstate Foundation.
If you are interested in having your CEO sign the SafeWork 2010 Pledge, contact Joanna Colangelo at Safe Horizon at joanna.colangelo@safehorizon.org.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Liz Claiborne and National Association of Attorneys General Team Up to Help Tweens and Parents Recognize Abusive Relationships - Before They Start
Liz Claiborne Inc. released a survey on July 8 (today) that a surprising number of young adolescents are experiencing significant levels of dating violence and abuse. One in five children between the ages of 13 and 14 (20%) say their friends are victims of dating violence and nearly half of all tweens in relationships say they know friends who are verbally abused. Alarmingly, 40% of the youngest tweens, those between the ages of 11 and 12, report that their friends are victims of verbal abuse in relationships and nearly 1 in 10 (9%) say their friends have had sex.
Liz Claiborne Inc. and www.loveisrespect.org (the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline), commissioned the survey on Tween and Teen dating relationships that was conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) to explore how relationships among young adolescents are fueling high levels of dating violence and abuse.
Recognizing the significance of this alarming trend in tween sexual activity and dating abuse, President of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, along with Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, introduced an unprecedented initiative that was unanimously passed at NAAG’s June meeting to ensure that all Attorneys General work to incorporate a teen dating violence and abuse curriculum in every school in their states.
“Over the past four years Liz Claiborne Inc. has conducted research into the many aspects of teen dating abuse. What makes this current study so disturbing is the clear and unexpected finding that dating abuse and violence begins at such a young age,” says Jane Randel, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Liz Claiborne Inc. “We applaud the willingness of Attorney General Lynch to push for the introduction of education about dating abuse in schools across the country. This research shows just how urgently this information is needed.”
This Teen Dating Violence Education Resolution is inspired by the Lindsay Ann Burke Act, a law proposed by Attorney General Lynch that became effective in Rhode Island in July 2007. The Act, named in the honor of Lindsay Ann Burke, who was murdered after a 2-year struggle in an abusive relationship, requires all school districts in Rhode Island to teach about the signs of dating violence and abuse every year from grades 7- 12. Attorney General Lynch and Lindsay’s parents, Ann and Christopher Burke, will join Jane Randel at a press conference to announce the data findings and the Attorneys General’s new initiative to combat dating abuse.
“We are committed to addressing this issue through education. Abuse and violence in intimate partner relationships not only cause great individual pain, but this destructive behavior also breaks down families, communities and our larger society,” says Attorney General Lynch. “A curriculum such as Liz Claiborne Inc.’s Love Is Not Abuse is an effective way to begin the process of education, prevent abuse, and help to save lives.”
Liz Claiborne Inc.’s Love Is Not Abuse curriculum aims to raise awareness about the problem of dating abuse, recommend resources that provide assistance, such as loveisrespect.org, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, and ultimately, help prevent dating abuse from occurring in the future. The curriculum was piloted around the country in October 2005 and was officially launched in April 2006. As of June 2008, this free curriculum has been distributed to approximately 3,500 schools and organizations across all 50 states.
“We know from experience that education can be one of the best means of prevention. My fellow Attorneys General and I are committed to ensuring that education on teen dating abuse is provided in schools across America,” says Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley. “We are grateful to Liz Claiborne, Inc., for their work on this important issue and look forward to working with them to combat this problem and keep teens safe.”
To help analyze the new survey findings, Liz Claiborne Inc. recruited the country’s top ten leading experts on tween and teen dating abuse to assess the data. Experts found high levels of tween and teen dating abuse combined with a lack of knowledge from both parents and children on the signs of harmful dating. The results clearly imply that there is a great need for more parental education and involvement, and schools need to institute teen dating abuse curriculum beginning as early as 6th grade.
“The survey’s data on the extent of emotional and controlling behaviors among tweens are the most critical additions to our current knowledge of abuse in adolescent relationships,” says Dr. Elizabeth Miller, Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at the U.C. Davis School of Medicine. “The numbers of tweens in relationships who report experiencing emotional abuse and controlling behaviors are staggering. Clearly this shows that many young people are already experiencing unhealthy relationships early on (even in the absence of sexual activity), many recognize these behaviors as not acceptable, but few know where to seek help or how to help a friend.”
Among the key findings:
Dating relationships begin much earlier than expected
Ø Nearly three in four tweens (72%) say boyfriend/girlfriend relationships usually begin at age 14 or younger.
Ø More than one in three 11-12 year olds (37%) say they have been in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship.
Surprising levels of abusive behavior reported in tween (11-14) dating relationships.
Ø 62% of tweens who have been in a relationship say they know friends who have been verbally abused (called stupid, worthless, ugly, etc) by a boyfriend/girlfriend.
Ø Two in five (41%) tweens who have been in a relationship know friends who have been called names, put down, or insulted via cellphone, IM, social networking sites (such as MySpace and Facebook), etc.
Ø One in five 13-14 year olds in relationships (20%) say they know friends and peers who have been struck in anger (kicked, hit, slapped, or punched) by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Ø Only half of all tweens (51%) claim to know the warning signs of a bad/hurtful relationship.
Significant numbers of teens (15-18) are experiencing emotional and mental abuse as well as violence in their dating relationships; this is even more prevalent among teens that have had sex by the age of 14.
Ø More than one in three teens report that their partners wanted to know where they were (36%) and who they were with (37%) all the time.
Among teens who had sex by age 14, it’s much higher (58% and 59%, respectively).
Ø 29% of teens say their boyfriends/girlfriends call them names and put them down, compared to 58% of teens who had sex by age 14.
Ø 22% of teens say they were pressured to do things they did not want to do, compared to 45% of teens who had sex by age 14.
Ø 69% of all teens who had sex by age 14 said they have gone through one or more types of abuse in a relationship.
“As a sexuality educator, it is impossible for me to look at this data without acknowledging the cultural implications and perhaps reasons for the statistics,” says Dr. Logan Levkoff, PhD, Author, and Human Sexuality Expert. “I believe the biggest problem is that parents are not doing their job. Parents are not talking to their teens about healthy and responsible sexuality.”
The survey found that parents think they know about their tweens dating experiences, but many are in the dark about what their kids are actually doing. Results show that:
Ø More than three times as many tweens (20%) as parents (6%) admit that parents know little or nothing about the tweens’ dating relationships.
Ø Twice as many tweens report having “hooked up” with a partner (17%) as parents reported of their own 11-14 year old child (8%).
“The survey data demonstrates that although parents maintain they are discussing relationships with their teens, this is not the same as discussing violence and abuse in relationships,” says Cindy Southworth, Director of Technology, National Network to End Domestic Violence. “It is clear parents need to talk to teens/tweens and schools need to encourage healthy relationship programs at an earlier age. The survey indicates that ‘tweens are involved in relationships that they consider serious,’ therefore parents need to talk prevention before dating starts. In the same way that parents currently tell 5- year olds that smoking is bad, they need to say that people who love each other shouldn’t hit/punch/kick/hurt each other.”
###
Survey Methodology
Liz Claiborne Inc. commissioned Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) to conduct quantitative research among tweens (ages 11-14), parents of tweens, and teens (ages 15-18) who have been in a relationship. The research pertained to young dating relationships and the presence/absence of sexual activity and abusive behaviors. TRU independently sampled the three groups and fielded a customized 15-minute survey online to each group from January 2-18, 2008; TRU chose online as the data-collection method for this research not only because of its high penetration (92%) among this population, but also because of the sensitive nature of the content, allowing young people to answer candidly (i.e., no adult interviewer) within the context of their preferred communications method. A total of 1,043 tweens, 523 parents, and 626 teens completed the survey, resulting in a margin of error (at the 95% confidence level) of ±3.0 percentage points for tweens in total, ±3.9 points for parents, and ±4.1 points for teens (±5.5 among those 17-18).
To view the video about the survey from the CBS Early Show go to http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4240522n
Liz Claiborne Inc. and www.loveisrespect.org (the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline), commissioned the survey on Tween and Teen dating relationships that was conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) to explore how relationships among young adolescents are fueling high levels of dating violence and abuse.
Recognizing the significance of this alarming trend in tween sexual activity and dating abuse, President of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, along with Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, introduced an unprecedented initiative that was unanimously passed at NAAG’s June meeting to ensure that all Attorneys General work to incorporate a teen dating violence and abuse curriculum in every school in their states.
“Over the past four years Liz Claiborne Inc. has conducted research into the many aspects of teen dating abuse. What makes this current study so disturbing is the clear and unexpected finding that dating abuse and violence begins at such a young age,” says Jane Randel, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Liz Claiborne Inc. “We applaud the willingness of Attorney General Lynch to push for the introduction of education about dating abuse in schools across the country. This research shows just how urgently this information is needed.”
This Teen Dating Violence Education Resolution is inspired by the Lindsay Ann Burke Act, a law proposed by Attorney General Lynch that became effective in Rhode Island in July 2007. The Act, named in the honor of Lindsay Ann Burke, who was murdered after a 2-year struggle in an abusive relationship, requires all school districts in Rhode Island to teach about the signs of dating violence and abuse every year from grades 7- 12. Attorney General Lynch and Lindsay’s parents, Ann and Christopher Burke, will join Jane Randel at a press conference to announce the data findings and the Attorneys General’s new initiative to combat dating abuse.
“We are committed to addressing this issue through education. Abuse and violence in intimate partner relationships not only cause great individual pain, but this destructive behavior also breaks down families, communities and our larger society,” says Attorney General Lynch. “A curriculum such as Liz Claiborne Inc.’s Love Is Not Abuse is an effective way to begin the process of education, prevent abuse, and help to save lives.”
Liz Claiborne Inc.’s Love Is Not Abuse curriculum aims to raise awareness about the problem of dating abuse, recommend resources that provide assistance, such as loveisrespect.org, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, and ultimately, help prevent dating abuse from occurring in the future. The curriculum was piloted around the country in October 2005 and was officially launched in April 2006. As of June 2008, this free curriculum has been distributed to approximately 3,500 schools and organizations across all 50 states.
“We know from experience that education can be one of the best means of prevention. My fellow Attorneys General and I are committed to ensuring that education on teen dating abuse is provided in schools across America,” says Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley. “We are grateful to Liz Claiborne, Inc., for their work on this important issue and look forward to working with them to combat this problem and keep teens safe.”
To help analyze the new survey findings, Liz Claiborne Inc. recruited the country’s top ten leading experts on tween and teen dating abuse to assess the data. Experts found high levels of tween and teen dating abuse combined with a lack of knowledge from both parents and children on the signs of harmful dating. The results clearly imply that there is a great need for more parental education and involvement, and schools need to institute teen dating abuse curriculum beginning as early as 6th grade.
“The survey’s data on the extent of emotional and controlling behaviors among tweens are the most critical additions to our current knowledge of abuse in adolescent relationships,” says Dr. Elizabeth Miller, Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at the U.C. Davis School of Medicine. “The numbers of tweens in relationships who report experiencing emotional abuse and controlling behaviors are staggering. Clearly this shows that many young people are already experiencing unhealthy relationships early on (even in the absence of sexual activity), many recognize these behaviors as not acceptable, but few know where to seek help or how to help a friend.”
Among the key findings:
Dating relationships begin much earlier than expected
Ø Nearly three in four tweens (72%) say boyfriend/girlfriend relationships usually begin at age 14 or younger.
Ø More than one in three 11-12 year olds (37%) say they have been in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship.
Surprising levels of abusive behavior reported in tween (11-14) dating relationships.
Ø 62% of tweens who have been in a relationship say they know friends who have been verbally abused (called stupid, worthless, ugly, etc) by a boyfriend/girlfriend.
Ø Two in five (41%) tweens who have been in a relationship know friends who have been called names, put down, or insulted via cellphone, IM, social networking sites (such as MySpace and Facebook), etc.
Ø One in five 13-14 year olds in relationships (20%) say they know friends and peers who have been struck in anger (kicked, hit, slapped, or punched) by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Ø Only half of all tweens (51%) claim to know the warning signs of a bad/hurtful relationship.
Significant numbers of teens (15-18) are experiencing emotional and mental abuse as well as violence in their dating relationships; this is even more prevalent among teens that have had sex by the age of 14.
Ø More than one in three teens report that their partners wanted to know where they were (36%) and who they were with (37%) all the time.
Among teens who had sex by age 14, it’s much higher (58% and 59%, respectively).
Ø 29% of teens say their boyfriends/girlfriends call them names and put them down, compared to 58% of teens who had sex by age 14.
Ø 22% of teens say they were pressured to do things they did not want to do, compared to 45% of teens who had sex by age 14.
Ø 69% of all teens who had sex by age 14 said they have gone through one or more types of abuse in a relationship.
“As a sexuality educator, it is impossible for me to look at this data without acknowledging the cultural implications and perhaps reasons for the statistics,” says Dr. Logan Levkoff, PhD, Author, and Human Sexuality Expert. “I believe the biggest problem is that parents are not doing their job. Parents are not talking to their teens about healthy and responsible sexuality.”
The survey found that parents think they know about their tweens dating experiences, but many are in the dark about what their kids are actually doing. Results show that:
Ø More than three times as many tweens (20%) as parents (6%) admit that parents know little or nothing about the tweens’ dating relationships.
Ø Twice as many tweens report having “hooked up” with a partner (17%) as parents reported of their own 11-14 year old child (8%).
“The survey data demonstrates that although parents maintain they are discussing relationships with their teens, this is not the same as discussing violence and abuse in relationships,” says Cindy Southworth, Director of Technology, National Network to End Domestic Violence. “It is clear parents need to talk to teens/tweens and schools need to encourage healthy relationship programs at an earlier age. The survey indicates that ‘tweens are involved in relationships that they consider serious,’ therefore parents need to talk prevention before dating starts. In the same way that parents currently tell 5- year olds that smoking is bad, they need to say that people who love each other shouldn’t hit/punch/kick/hurt each other.”
###
Survey Methodology
Liz Claiborne Inc. commissioned Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) to conduct quantitative research among tweens (ages 11-14), parents of tweens, and teens (ages 15-18) who have been in a relationship. The research pertained to young dating relationships and the presence/absence of sexual activity and abusive behaviors. TRU independently sampled the three groups and fielded a customized 15-minute survey online to each group from January 2-18, 2008; TRU chose online as the data-collection method for this research not only because of its high penetration (92%) among this population, but also because of the sensitive nature of the content, allowing young people to answer candidly (i.e., no adult interviewer) within the context of their preferred communications method. A total of 1,043 tweens, 523 parents, and 626 teens completed the survey, resulting in a margin of error (at the 95% confidence level) of ±3.0 percentage points for tweens in total, ±3.9 points for parents, and ±4.1 points for teens (±5.5 among those 17-18).
To view the video about the survey from the CBS Early Show go to http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4240522n
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Happy Independence Day!
It is July 2 -- and I am thinking about the 4th of July which is Independence Day here in the United States. And technically, the 2nd of July is the day that the Continental Congress voted to separate themselves from the British Government so it is an important day too -- in fact I think that John Adams considered it the "real" Independence Day. But I digress.
I was reading one of those electronic billboards on my way to work today that said that the United States is the only country in the world with an actual birthday -- I wonder if that is true? If so, that is certainly an interesting factoid.
Independence Day -- coined with these words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
I was reading one of those electronic billboards on my way to work today that said that the United States is the only country in the world with an actual birthday -- I wonder if that is true? If so, that is certainly an interesting factoid.
Independence Day -- coined with these words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Those are really powerful, amazing words. And it is amazing to be free and live free and know who you are and why you are here on this earth.
For those who are not free for whatever reason today, who are cannot celebrate freedom or independence, I pray for the day that they are able to know true life, liberty and the pursuit of true happiness. I pray for safe homes, safe communities, safe countries, and a safe world on this "almost" Independence Day.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Rutgers University Awards First Verizon Wireless Hopeline Scholarships to Graduate Students Assisting Victims of Domestic Violence
I know it seems like I am writing a lot lately about Verizon Wireless, but it is just because they do a lot of cool things!
Rupa Khetarpal and Amanda Mathisen recently completed studies at Rutgers University School of Social Work where they were named 2008 VerizonWireless HopeLine(R) Scholars. Funded by a $100,000 Verizon Wireless grant, the Verizon Wireless HopeLine Scholarship Fund was created in conjunction with the Center on Violence Against Women & Children to recognize outstanding Rutgers University graduate students enrolled in the Master of Social Work (MSW)specialization on violence against women and children, the first such program in the country.
The Verizon Wireless donation was made possible through the company's HopeLine phone recycling program, which collects no-longer-used wirelessphones at its Communications Stores throughout New Jersey and nationwide.The phones are refurbished, recycled or sold and the proceeds are used toprovide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness. Phones that cannot be refurbished are disposed of in an environmentallysound manner. Verizon Wireless was the first wireless carrier in the nation to collect and recycle old cell phones and has done so since January 1999, first in New Jersey and then across the U.S.
Nationally, the HopeLine program has collected more than 4.5 million wireless phones and givennearly $5 million in cash grants to domestic violence preventionorganizations. In addition to a successful phone recycling program and funding fornon-profit domestic violence prevention organizations, HopeLine includes free wireless service and voice mailboxes for survivors, community and corporate awareness initiatives, and a bilingual "Invest in Yourself"program designed to help survivors re-enter the workforce.
HopeLine phone donations also are accepted at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores For store locations and additional information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
We are really so proud to have both Rutgers University School of Social Work and Verizon Wireless as CAEPV members!
Rupa Khetarpal and Amanda Mathisen recently completed studies at Rutgers University School of Social Work where they were named 2008 VerizonWireless HopeLine(R) Scholars. Funded by a $100,000 Verizon Wireless grant, the Verizon Wireless HopeLine Scholarship Fund was created in conjunction with the Center on Violence Against Women & Children to recognize outstanding Rutgers University graduate students enrolled in the Master of Social Work (MSW)specialization on violence against women and children, the first such program in the country.
The Verizon Wireless donation was made possible through the company's HopeLine phone recycling program, which collects no-longer-used wirelessphones at its Communications Stores throughout New Jersey and nationwide.The phones are refurbished, recycled or sold and the proceeds are used toprovide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness. Phones that cannot be refurbished are disposed of in an environmentallysound manner. Verizon Wireless was the first wireless carrier in the nation to collect and recycle old cell phones and has done so since January 1999, first in New Jersey and then across the U.S.
Nationally, the HopeLine program has collected more than 4.5 million wireless phones and givennearly $5 million in cash grants to domestic violence preventionorganizations. In addition to a successful phone recycling program and funding fornon-profit domestic violence prevention organizations, HopeLine includes free wireless service and voice mailboxes for survivors, community and corporate awareness initiatives, and a bilingual "Invest in Yourself"program designed to help survivors re-enter the workforce.
HopeLine phone donations also are accepted at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores For store locations and additional information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
We are really so proud to have both Rutgers University School of Social Work and Verizon Wireless as CAEPV members!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Vantage Properties LLC CEO Signs On To SafeWork 2010
SafeWork Pledge: I am committed to addressing the issue of domestic violence in the workplace I recognize that domestic violence impacts my employees, my company and my business. Therefore, I pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness as a member of SafeWork 2010.
Congratulations to Neil L. Rubler, President and CEO, Vantage Properties LLC. Why I am congratulating him? Because he is the latest CEO to sign onto the pledge you see above -- a pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness of domestic violence as a workplace issue.
Congratulations to Neil L. Rubler, President and CEO, Vantage Properties LLC. Why I am congratulating him? Because he is the latest CEO to sign onto the pledge you see above -- a pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness of domestic violence as a workplace issue.
He joins the following CEOs that have already signed the Pledge:
Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance Company*
Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc.*
Andrea Jung, Avon Products, Inc.*
Jens Bang, Cone, LLC
Mary Ann Scully, Howard Bank
Andrea Wong, Lifetime Entertainment Services*
William McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc.*
Steve Jacaruso, Le Sportsac
David B. Holl, Mary Kay Inc.*
Andrew R. Urban, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Dr. Robert Pearl, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente*
Emanuel Chirico, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
Neil L. Rubler, Vantage Properties, LLC
Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless*
*CAEPV Member Company
There is no financial commitment for signing the SafeWork pledge and becoming a member of SafeWork 2010. And those who do receive an awesome CEO Action Kit created by Safe Horizon with the assistance of CAEPV – and provided through the generous support of The Allstate Foundation. What could be simpler?
Companies can choose to act on the pledge in a way that works best for them, but the CEO Kit even provides SafeWork 2010 Action Steps to help! Some of the Action Steps are joining the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (http://www.caepv.org/), strengthening workplace policies that address domestic violence, hosting education and training sessions, and distributing educational materials about domestic violence to employees.We hope to see 200 companies on this list by 2010!
If you would like to join us, contact Melissa Madzel at mmadzel@safehorizon.org. Maybe we will see your CEOs name on this list!
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Verizon Wireless Trains Almost 3,000 Managers Using SafeWork Certified Training Model
This is really cool! Since CAEPV Member Verizon Wireless implemented the SafeWork Certified Trainer model, 2,927 managers throughout the country have been trained at 181 trainings! Trainings were completed by the end of April for managers at Verizon Wireless’ 26 call centers across the country. Now Verizon Wireless will roll out the trainings to retail managers in 19 regions beginning at a conference this July.
Our partner Safe Horizon and CAEPV premiered this SafeWork training program during It’s Time to Talk Day in 2007. This “train the trainer” model is designed to create SafeWork Certified Trainers in partnering companies, including executives and senior HR staff who have completed a comprehensive curriculum customized to their company’s policies and procedures.
Just imagine the difference it can make for employees when a manager is trained to really recognize what is going on in the workplace and how to help in a compassionate, caring and professional way without compromising a person's privacy. And imagine getting that person to the resources needed quickly and efficiently. That is always important -- but vitally so in cases of domestic violence.
Note: Verizon Wireless is the first company to implement the SafeWork Certified Trainer program created by CAEPV Member Safe Horizon in partnership with the Corporate Alliance. If you are interested in learning more about this training, contact Melissa Madzel at mmadzel@safehorizon.org.
Our partner Safe Horizon and CAEPV premiered this SafeWork training program during It’s Time to Talk Day in 2007. This “train the trainer” model is designed to create SafeWork Certified Trainers in partnering companies, including executives and senior HR staff who have completed a comprehensive curriculum customized to their company’s policies and procedures.
Just imagine the difference it can make for employees when a manager is trained to really recognize what is going on in the workplace and how to help in a compassionate, caring and professional way without compromising a person's privacy. And imagine getting that person to the resources needed quickly and efficiently. That is always important -- but vitally so in cases of domestic violence.
Note: Verizon Wireless is the first company to implement the SafeWork Certified Trainer program created by CAEPV Member Safe Horizon in partnership with the Corporate Alliance. If you are interested in learning more about this training, contact Melissa Madzel at mmadzel@safehorizon.org.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Corporate America Doing the Right Thing . . .One Life At A Time
I just love our CAEPV member companies – last week one of these companies went out of their way to help a victim of domestic violence who was not an employee but who had somehow managed to call their Employee Ethics Hotline for help. She found out that this particular company was one that supported domestic violence issues, and somehow found that Employee Ethics number.
As you can imagine, these calls go to internal human resources people. And they did not ignore this call. They made a report. And tried to figure out what to do. . .for a person who doesn't work for them.
So -- these amazing human resources people reached out to me and to others and together we figured out across the US how to get this victim of domestic violence the help she needed to get to herself safe and secure and to get her life back on track.
I hope you understand – this was NOT an employee. They did NOT have to do this. They just did it because they cared. They are amazing.
When people tell me that "Corporate America" stinks, I have the opportunity to talk with them about the "Corporate America" I get to work with here at the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence . . .the people who help move employees across the country, who help them get their names changed, who give them time off above and beyond what any law requires. . .just because it is the right thing to do.
And in this particular case, it was not even for an employee. It was for a "stranger" who called their Employee Ethics Hotline in need of help. And they answered. I hope the people who did that know how amazing they are! It is an honor to work with them each and every day.
I know that everyone can't get saved all the time, but it is pretty great to work with the people who represent "Corporate America" who are doing the right thing. . .one life at a time.
As you can imagine, these calls go to internal human resources people. And they did not ignore this call. They made a report. And tried to figure out what to do. . .for a person who doesn't work for them.
So -- these amazing human resources people reached out to me and to others and together we figured out across the US how to get this victim of domestic violence the help she needed to get to herself safe and secure and to get her life back on track.
I hope you understand – this was NOT an employee. They did NOT have to do this. They just did it because they cared. They are amazing.
When people tell me that "Corporate America" stinks, I have the opportunity to talk with them about the "Corporate America" I get to work with here at the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence . . .the people who help move employees across the country, who help them get their names changed, who give them time off above and beyond what any law requires. . .just because it is the right thing to do.
And in this particular case, it was not even for an employee. It was for a "stranger" who called their Employee Ethics Hotline in need of help. And they answered. I hope the people who did that know how amazing they are! It is an honor to work with them each and every day.
I know that everyone can't get saved all the time, but it is pretty great to work with the people who represent "Corporate America" who are doing the right thing. . .one life at a time.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Domestic Violence - Never The Most Popular Table At The Workplace Wellness Fair
This week Dennis Butler (Vice President, Workplace Solutions at Liz Claiborne) and I had the opportunity to present together at the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) annual conference. There were well over 1,000 attendees at this event. But do you know how many attended the session on domestic violence and the workplace? Approximately 15 or 20.
Trust me, there was no other session even CLOSE to that topic, and it was very forward-thinking and bold of WERC to put the topic on the conference schedule. (Most topics were along the lines of “logistics, distribution networking, reasons to automate, transportation best practices, etc.”)
So you can imagine the 15 or 20 people who attended our session were pretty brave – and had pretty specific reasons for doing so. It is a very important reminder of why we do the work we do. . .we are still the uncomfortable and “unusual” topic. Of those in the room representing distribution companies, only three or four had workplace violence policies of any kind, and maybe one had a domestic violence in the workplace policy. I am hopeful that will be different after our presentation and the materials we provided.
This presentation and the “lack of attendance” was a great reminder of why CAEPV keeps on doing what it does . . . and why I do what I do. And I am so thankful for amazing people like Dennis Butler who are there to give the corporate perspective of why this is “Everybody’s Business”!
I was also very touched by one woman in particular I met at the conference in our session. She was supposed to attend with her friend, Cindy Bischof. But Cindy is no longer with us. She was killed on March 7 by her ex-boyfriend who violated a protection order and came to her workplace and shot her in the parking lot. I wrote about Cindy in this blog. Cindy is one of the reasons I do what I do – so employers learn what they can do to help so no one’s family or friends or co-workers go through the heartbreak that Cindy’s family and friends and colleagues are suffering. To learn more about Cindy, and what her family and friends are doing to try and make a difference, visit http://www.cindysmemorial.org/.
As I told those at the WERC presentation, we are never the most popular table at the workplace wellness fair. It is uncomfortable to think about domestic violence, and it is uncomfortable to talk about it. But -- if you are someone ready to “step out of your comfort zone” as an employer and find out what you can do to address this issue in your workplace, check out our website at http://www.caepv.org/. I promise you it will be worth it.
Trust me, there was no other session even CLOSE to that topic, and it was very forward-thinking and bold of WERC to put the topic on the conference schedule. (Most topics were along the lines of “logistics, distribution networking, reasons to automate, transportation best practices, etc.”)
So you can imagine the 15 or 20 people who attended our session were pretty brave – and had pretty specific reasons for doing so. It is a very important reminder of why we do the work we do. . .we are still the uncomfortable and “unusual” topic. Of those in the room representing distribution companies, only three or four had workplace violence policies of any kind, and maybe one had a domestic violence in the workplace policy. I am hopeful that will be different after our presentation and the materials we provided.
This presentation and the “lack of attendance” was a great reminder of why CAEPV keeps on doing what it does . . . and why I do what I do. And I am so thankful for amazing people like Dennis Butler who are there to give the corporate perspective of why this is “Everybody’s Business”!
I was also very touched by one woman in particular I met at the conference in our session. She was supposed to attend with her friend, Cindy Bischof. But Cindy is no longer with us. She was killed on March 7 by her ex-boyfriend who violated a protection order and came to her workplace and shot her in the parking lot. I wrote about Cindy in this blog. Cindy is one of the reasons I do what I do – so employers learn what they can do to help so no one’s family or friends or co-workers go through the heartbreak that Cindy’s family and friends and colleagues are suffering. To learn more about Cindy, and what her family and friends are doing to try and make a difference, visit http://www.cindysmemorial.org/.
As I told those at the WERC presentation, we are never the most popular table at the workplace wellness fair. It is uncomfortable to think about domestic violence, and it is uncomfortable to talk about it. But -- if you are someone ready to “step out of your comfort zone” as an employer and find out what you can do to address this issue in your workplace, check out our website at http://www.caepv.org/. I promise you it will be worth it.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace Conference: Reaching Employers and EAPs to Impact Domestic Violence
If you've read this blog before, you know it is devoted to domestic violence and the workplace, and how employers can address the issue.
But what if, instead of going from employer to employer. . . you reached out to someone who reached a LOT of employers all at once? Someone like an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider? And what if EAPs across the country were well-versed in the issue and had great capacity to work hand-in hand with the employers they serve to address this issue?
That is the idea behind the S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace conference -- it is the first national conference convening employers and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providers to leverage their work preventing and responding to domestic violence and its impact on the workplace.
The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence is organizing this invitation only national conference to take place on November 6-7, 2008 in San Francisco, California. Conference participants will:
-Hear from experts about best-in-class prevention and response programs
-Learn proven ways to use EAPs effectively in addressing domestic violence as a workplace issue -Participate with peers in creating a Blueprint for Action that will identify emerging themes in the national landscape and generate national response
-Develop a 30-day action plans customized for their companies or programs
-Engage in meaningful dialogue and collaboration before, during and after the S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace conference to drive constructive and positive change in the workplace
The products of the conference will be shared on the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence website and will be made available to any employer, EAP provider, researcher or other party wishing to access any research, products, materials, or outputs from the conference.
Pre-conference Webinar
Reserved for invited conference attendees, this pre-conference Webinar is designed to fast-track conference attendees and help them have a more meaningful and results-oriented conference experience. In just two hours, Webinar attendees will:
-Discover what they can achieve by participating in the conference
-Engage in interactive dialogue with experts on why domestic violence is a workplace issue
-Begin to turn obstacles into opportunities through the Blueprint for Action, a plan to be developed during the conference that will identify emerging themes in the national landscape and generate national collaboration and response
Key Partners
The S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace conference is presented by the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. This conference is made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with additional support provided by The Allstate Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation and Health Care Service Corporation. The conference planning workgroup includes representatives from the following organizations: Chestnut Global Partners, CIGNA, Gap Inc, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Macy's West, Magellan Health Services, OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions.
We are very excited about the possibilities of this conference!
For more information, contact caepv@caepv.org.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Verizon and the Family Justice Center Institute - Everyone Wins!
Right now I am in San Diego at the International Family Justice Center Conference. And what, you may wonder, is a Family Justice Center? And why would a big company like Verizon care about one?
How many places do you suppose a person who is a victim of domestic violence has to go to get help for themselves? For their children? Well, in San Diego they asked and found out 32 -- 32 places! That is too many places -- especially for a person who is not safe.
And so they created a Family Justice Center -- one place where a person could go and get the services needed -- medical, advocacy, food, clothing, job training, legal, etc -- all in one place. What an idea!
I have been privileged to serve on the President's Family Justice Center Initiative as 15 model Family Justice Centers were formed across the US through grants from the Office on Violence Against Women. And now there are Family Justice Centers across the US -- and around the world. And now I am privileged to serve on the National Advisory Board for the National Family Justice Center Alliance.
And now, throughout the U.S., survivors of domestic violence and their children will receive new and more effective services -- thanks to a $1 million grant from the Verizon Foundation to the National Family Justice Center Alliance. The grant, announced on April 4, establishes the Family Justice Center Institute, a technology and training arm within the National Family Justice Center Alliance. The center will use technology and best practices to streamline service and provide training for employees and volunteers.
The grant will be used to develop systems that:
1) Allow multiple agencies within a Family Justice Center to quickly and securely share information - so that victims will have to tell their story only once, rather than repeatedly conveying their traumatic experiences to various social, medical, legal and public safety professionals.
2) Create protocols for the development of electronic "safety deposit boxes" - helping domestic violence survivors to keep important documents secure.
3) Develop online training for Family Justice Center employees and volunteers nationwide - enabling them to share information, attend online courses and learn best practices.
4) Link the management systems of five pilot Family Justice Centers - creating consistency and information-sharing models among these centers, which will be selected during the grant period.
5) Assess technology needs - to evaluate practical uses of online client resources, text messaging and video messaging to support Family Justice Center employees and clients.
How many places do you suppose a person who is a victim of domestic violence has to go to get help for themselves? For their children? Well, in San Diego they asked and found out 32 -- 32 places! That is too many places -- especially for a person who is not safe.
And so they created a Family Justice Center -- one place where a person could go and get the services needed -- medical, advocacy, food, clothing, job training, legal, etc -- all in one place. What an idea!
I have been privileged to serve on the President's Family Justice Center Initiative as 15 model Family Justice Centers were formed across the US through grants from the Office on Violence Against Women. And now there are Family Justice Centers across the US -- and around the world. And now I am privileged to serve on the National Advisory Board for the National Family Justice Center Alliance.
And now, throughout the U.S., survivors of domestic violence and their children will receive new and more effective services -- thanks to a $1 million grant from the Verizon Foundation to the National Family Justice Center Alliance. The grant, announced on April 4, establishes the Family Justice Center Institute, a technology and training arm within the National Family Justice Center Alliance. The center will use technology and best practices to streamline service and provide training for employees and volunteers.
The grant will be used to develop systems that:
1) Allow multiple agencies within a Family Justice Center to quickly and securely share information - so that victims will have to tell their story only once, rather than repeatedly conveying their traumatic experiences to various social, medical, legal and public safety professionals.
2) Create protocols for the development of electronic "safety deposit boxes" - helping domestic violence survivors to keep important documents secure.
3) Develop online training for Family Justice Center employees and volunteers nationwide - enabling them to share information, attend online courses and learn best practices.
4) Link the management systems of five pilot Family Justice Centers - creating consistency and information-sharing models among these centers, which will be selected during the grant period.
5) Assess technology needs - to evaluate practical uses of online client resources, text messaging and video messaging to support Family Justice Center employees and clients.
Verizon has been a longtime supporter of Family Justice Centers across the country, beginning with a Verizon Wireless HopeLine grant to the San Diego Family Justice Center in 2002. Raising awareness of domestic violence and aiding in its prevention is a key focus of the Verizon Foundation. In 2007, the foundation awarded more than $5.5 million in grants to aid in domestic violence prevention.
Isn't that perfect? A company using what it does best -- technology -- to help keep families safe and to help make communities better!
And think of this -- Verizon Communications and Verizon Wireless employ a combined approximate 250,000 people across the US. Now -- if 21% of those are victims of domestic violence (as full-time employed adults, using the results of the national survey that the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence did in 2005) -- where are those people going to go if they need help? To services in 32 places? Wouldn't it make much more sense for those employees and their families to go to Family Justice Centers where they are safe and get access to services in one location? That is a great investment of resources -- not only for Verizon employees, but for everyone in a community.
For more information about the Family Justice Center model and the National Family Justice Center Alliance, visit http://www.familyjusticecenter.org/.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland Signs Executive Order Instituting Domestic Violence Policy For State Agencies
A new executive order from Ohio Governor Ted Strickland gives state agencies almost 14 months to comply with a new policy aimed at reducing and handling domestic violence in the workplace.
On April 17, 2008 Governor Strickland signed an executive order that creates the Barbara Warner Workplace Domestic Violence Policy, named after an Ohio Department of Health employee who was a victim of domestic violence and later killed in 1997 by her husband. The order also creates a state committee comprising representatives from several agencies and sets a July 1, 2009, deadline for state agencies to have enacted the policy.
A growing domestic violence problem outside the home was behind the governor's decision to sign the executive order. “Domestic violence in and outside of the workplace has become increasingly prevalent," Strickland said in a statement. "As an employer, the state must foster a safe working environment for all employees and provide the resources necessary to assist a worker who may be the victim of a domestic violence situation."
Under the new policy, state agencies are required to post a list of resources for workers, change personnel policies if needed, adjust workers' duties or assignments when domestic-violence issues arise, grant leave requests for victims and take action against workers identified as perpetrators. Actions can include contacting law enforcement and firing the employee.
Agencies also are barred from disciplining or discriminating against employees deemed domestic abuse victims or survivors for acts resulting from a domestic-abuse situation, or disclosing information to other workers beyond the extent necessary.
Obviously, the state of Ohio has determined what many companies and employers know, that domestic violence is an issue that impacts the workplace in terms of absenteeism, healthcare, productivity, turnover, and workplace safety -- and that an enlightened and proactive employer can do something to limit these impacts.
If you are not the state of Ohio and wonder what you can do, check out our CAEPV website for "six steps" to create a workplace program and a sample policy at http://www.caepv.org/action/.
And if you are not convinced about the potential costs to business, check out our extensive list of sourced stats at http://www.caepv.org/getinfo/facts_stats.php -- if there is something to do with domestic violence and the workplace and it is updated and well-sourced, you will find it there!
Congratulations to Governor Strickland -- and may the State of Ohio's policy honoring Barbara Warner help to prevent the loss of future lives.
On April 17, 2008 Governor Strickland signed an executive order that creates the Barbara Warner Workplace Domestic Violence Policy, named after an Ohio Department of Health employee who was a victim of domestic violence and later killed in 1997 by her husband. The order also creates a state committee comprising representatives from several agencies and sets a July 1, 2009, deadline for state agencies to have enacted the policy.
A growing domestic violence problem outside the home was behind the governor's decision to sign the executive order. “Domestic violence in and outside of the workplace has become increasingly prevalent," Strickland said in a statement. "As an employer, the state must foster a safe working environment for all employees and provide the resources necessary to assist a worker who may be the victim of a domestic violence situation."
Under the new policy, state agencies are required to post a list of resources for workers, change personnel policies if needed, adjust workers' duties or assignments when domestic-violence issues arise, grant leave requests for victims and take action against workers identified as perpetrators. Actions can include contacting law enforcement and firing the employee.
Agencies also are barred from disciplining or discriminating against employees deemed domestic abuse victims or survivors for acts resulting from a domestic-abuse situation, or disclosing information to other workers beyond the extent necessary.
Obviously, the state of Ohio has determined what many companies and employers know, that domestic violence is an issue that impacts the workplace in terms of absenteeism, healthcare, productivity, turnover, and workplace safety -- and that an enlightened and proactive employer can do something to limit these impacts.
If you are not the state of Ohio and wonder what you can do, check out our CAEPV website for "six steps" to create a workplace program and a sample policy at http://www.caepv.org/action/.
And if you are not convinced about the potential costs to business, check out our extensive list of sourced stats at http://www.caepv.org/getinfo/facts_stats.php -- if there is something to do with domestic violence and the workplace and it is updated and well-sourced, you will find it there!
Congratulations to Governor Strickland -- and may the State of Ohio's policy honoring Barbara Warner help to prevent the loss of future lives.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
SafeWork 2010 - Three More CEOs Sign On Pledging To Address Domestic Violence As A Workplace Issue
SafeWork Pledge: I am committed to addressing the issue of domestic violence in the workplace I recognize that domestic violence impacts my employees, my company and my business. Therefore, I pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness as a member of SafeWork 2010.
Congratulations to Jens Bang, CEO of Cone, LLC, Steve Jacaruso, CEO of Le Sportsac and Mary Ann Scully, President and CEO of Howard Bank in Maryland.
Why am I congratulating them?
Because they all recently signed the pledge you see above -- a pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness of domestic violence as a workplace issue.
They join the following CEOs that have already signed the Pledge:
*CAEPV Member Company
There is no financial commitment for signing the SafeWork pledge and becoming a member of SafeWork 2010. And those who do receive an awesome CEO Action Kit created by Safe Horizon with the assistance of CAEPV – and provided through the generous support of The Allstate Foundation. What could be simpler?
Companies can choose to act on the pledge in a way that works best for them, but the CEO Kit even provides SafeWork 2010 Action Steps to help! Some of the Action Steps are joining the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (www.caepv.org), strengthening workplace policies that address domestic violence, hosting education and training sessions, and distributing educational materials about domestic violence to employees.
We hope to see 200 companies on this list by 2010! If you would like to join us, contact Melissa Madzel at mmadzel@safehorizon.org.
Maybe we will see your CEOs name on this list!
Congratulations to Jens Bang, CEO of Cone, LLC, Steve Jacaruso, CEO of Le Sportsac and Mary Ann Scully, President and CEO of Howard Bank in Maryland.
Why am I congratulating them?
Because they all recently signed the pledge you see above -- a pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness of domestic violence as a workplace issue.
They join the following CEOs that have already signed the Pledge:
Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance Company*
Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc.*
Andrea Jung, Avon Products, Inc.*
Andrea Wong, Lifetime Entertainment Services*
William McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc.*
David B. Holl, Mary Kay Inc.*
Andrew R. Urban, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Dr. Robert Pearl, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente*
Emanuel Chirico, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless*
*CAEPV Member Company
There is no financial commitment for signing the SafeWork pledge and becoming a member of SafeWork 2010. And those who do receive an awesome CEO Action Kit created by Safe Horizon with the assistance of CAEPV – and provided through the generous support of The Allstate Foundation. What could be simpler?
Companies can choose to act on the pledge in a way that works best for them, but the CEO Kit even provides SafeWork 2010 Action Steps to help! Some of the Action Steps are joining the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (www.caepv.org), strengthening workplace policies that address domestic violence, hosting education and training sessions, and distributing educational materials about domestic violence to employees.
We hope to see 200 companies on this list by 2010! If you would like to join us, contact Melissa Madzel at mmadzel@safehorizon.org.
Maybe we will see your CEOs name on this list!
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Upper Iowa University Women Rock!
Last week I had the opportunity to speak with some wonderful college women at a Women's Leadership Week at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa. Not only were the young women and the young men I met awesome, but I found out where Fayette, Iowa was :) Thanks to Beta Theta Omega Sorority for asking me to come!
The presentation was about "Independent Women" and women's leadership -- and hopefully I gave them some insights. I was also able to share about the really wonderful work that CAEPV member companies do to address domestic violence as a workplace issue, and how I have the opportunity, every day, to see the very best of "Corporate America" as the people I work with in these great companies go about the business of protecting and sometimes saving the lives of their employees. Just think -- if these young women leave UIU understanding that there are companies committed to addressing domestic violence as a workplace issue, they will be more aware of these policies and programs as they seek careers and will perhaps be catalysts for these programs in their places of employment in the future. That is very exciting to me.
And as always, I can never leave a presentation without talking about healthy relationships and how to talk with someone you care about if you are concerned for a friend or loved one. I just feel like it is so important -- no matter what topic I'm given to speak about.
So -- I get to the end of the presentation and say "Now for something completely different. . " and talk to them about something I know they will use as much as all the other "tips" I've given them -- how do you ask someone you care about if they are in a relationship that may be abusive or unhealthy? This is what I shared:
"You know I really care about you, and you are important to me. I've been noticing you are not yourself lately (note warning signs here) and I am concerned about you. I would rather have you mad at me than anything bad ever happen to you, so I just want to ask you – are you safe in your relationship?"
What was interesting to me was while I was somewhat "off topic" in bringing this subject up, I could see from the faces in the room that it clearly resonanted with them. They had experience. They knew about this -- and they needed to know what to say.
I am never sure about adding that to presentations -- but last week I was sure. And I will never forget the women's leadership conference I was at when I talked about this issue with women leaders from all over the US. When I was done, a very successful executive woman stood up and said, "In case you think this does not happen to women like us, I want you to know this happened to me in my first marriage."
And then people kept sharing. It was amazing. And a reminder that it happens to everyone and anyone and it is important to tell our daughters and sons and friends and co-workers about what to look for and what to ask.
So thanks, women of UIU, for giving me the opportunity! And although I hope you never have to ask, I know that you probably will.
The presentation was about "Independent Women" and women's leadership -- and hopefully I gave them some insights. I was also able to share about the really wonderful work that CAEPV member companies do to address domestic violence as a workplace issue, and how I have the opportunity, every day, to see the very best of "Corporate America" as the people I work with in these great companies go about the business of protecting and sometimes saving the lives of their employees. Just think -- if these young women leave UIU understanding that there are companies committed to addressing domestic violence as a workplace issue, they will be more aware of these policies and programs as they seek careers and will perhaps be catalysts for these programs in their places of employment in the future. That is very exciting to me.
And as always, I can never leave a presentation without talking about healthy relationships and how to talk with someone you care about if you are concerned for a friend or loved one. I just feel like it is so important -- no matter what topic I'm given to speak about.
So -- I get to the end of the presentation and say "Now for something completely different. . " and talk to them about something I know they will use as much as all the other "tips" I've given them -- how do you ask someone you care about if they are in a relationship that may be abusive or unhealthy? This is what I shared:
"You know I really care about you, and you are important to me. I've been noticing you are not yourself lately (note warning signs here) and I am concerned about you. I would rather have you mad at me than anything bad ever happen to you, so I just want to ask you – are you safe in your relationship?"
What was interesting to me was while I was somewhat "off topic" in bringing this subject up, I could see from the faces in the room that it clearly resonanted with them. They had experience. They knew about this -- and they needed to know what to say.
I am never sure about adding that to presentations -- but last week I was sure. And I will never forget the women's leadership conference I was at when I talked about this issue with women leaders from all over the US. When I was done, a very successful executive woman stood up and said, "In case you think this does not happen to women like us, I want you to know this happened to me in my first marriage."
And then people kept sharing. It was amazing. And a reminder that it happens to everyone and anyone and it is important to tell our daughters and sons and friends and co-workers about what to look for and what to ask.
So thanks, women of UIU, for giving me the opportunity! And although I hope you never have to ask, I know that you probably will.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Saved By Grace
This poem was sent to me by an amazing person I know -- this person works in one of our CAEPV member companies, and is a domestic violence survivor.
I think a lot of times a highly employed, educated, well-dressed, well-spoken, talented, person like this is just the kind that people assume, "Well, it doesn't happen to people like that -- they are too much like ME."
A.B. reminds us all that it DOES happen to people like me. Like you. Like your best friend. Like your neighbor. Like your sister. Like your brother. Like your co-worker. Like your boss. It can happen to anyone.
Saved by Grace
She lies quietly
On the cold tiles
Next to the porcelain tower
Of running water
No one can see her
She is frozen
Paralyzed with fear
As black-stained, trickling tears
Glaze the broken mirror
No one can hear her
She stares quietly
At the torn photograph
Underneath the jagged glass
Forming a watercolor
No one knows her
She looks at her arms
At the fingerprints of hate
Painted on her pale skin
In deep red and blue
Only one can save her
Now
She closes her eyes
Praying with her last breath
As an angelic figure
Gathers her up and flies away
No one can hurt her
Anymore
© ABH 3.17.2008
I think a lot of times a highly employed, educated, well-dressed, well-spoken, talented, person like this is just the kind that people assume, "Well, it doesn't happen to people like that -- they are too much like ME."
A.B. reminds us all that it DOES happen to people like me. Like you. Like your best friend. Like your neighbor. Like your sister. Like your brother. Like your co-worker. Like your boss. It can happen to anyone.
Saved by Grace
She lies quietly
On the cold tiles
Next to the porcelain tower
Of running water
No one can see her
She is frozen
Paralyzed with fear
As black-stained, trickling tears
Glaze the broken mirror
No one can hear her
She stares quietly
At the torn photograph
Underneath the jagged glass
Forming a watercolor
No one knows her
She looks at her arms
At the fingerprints of hate
Painted on her pale skin
In deep red and blue
Only one can save her
Now
She closes her eyes
Praying with her last breath
As an angelic figure
Gathers her up and flies away
No one can hurt her
Anymore
© ABH 3.17.2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Loss Prevention. . .And Maybe Saving the Next Cindy Bischof
So, today I am working on a bunch of presentations for upcoming workshops and talks, etc. -- specifically I am working on a particular presentation for loss prevention and recovery professionals (security professionals) on dealing with domestic violence as a workplace issue. These professionals are on the front lines when it comes to workplace safety/workplace violence issues, so they are often the first to recognize how much domestic violence affects a company. They are the "go to" people on this, and they really understand it.
At any rate, I am highlighting the risk assessment portion of the training and the sorts of things that these professionals will want to keep in mind when working with employees who are victims of domestic violence.
For example, we know that the most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence tends to be when the person is leaving or has left the relationship (in cases of homicide related to domestic violence, 75% of the time, the victim has been in the process of leaving or has left the relationship), we know that stalking behavior increases risk (including stalking at the workplace), and other such behaviors.
So as I am preparing this presentation, I see this heartbreaking article from the Chicago Tribune www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-domestic-violence_bd16mar16,0,6195124.story about a woman named Cindy Bischof and about all of the things that happened to her before her ex-boyfriend shot her dead in the parking lot of her office on March 7.
And the "risk assessment" bullet points regarding the behavior of Cindy's ex-boyfriend are eerily similar to the "risk assessment" bullet points for my presentation. Except that she is a person who is now dead and her family is grieving her loss. It is no longer academic. It is real life and real loss.
And so I am hoping as I talk with these great loss prevention professionals that we are able to further the work employers can do to help keep workplaces safe. And people safe. . and alive.
It is really hard for me to know that there is something people can do - that employers can do - to help and maybe keep things like this from happening -- and that only 15% of employers in the United States are doing it. (Of course, there is no guarantee, but we can certainly be more, right?)
If you want to do something as an employer, go to http://www.caepv.org/ and learn more. That is why CAEPV is here -- to help employers address this issue.
And real loss prevention? Well that is not about products or inventory. . .that is about saving lives. And maybe helping to save the next Cindy Bischof.
At any rate, I am highlighting the risk assessment portion of the training and the sorts of things that these professionals will want to keep in mind when working with employees who are victims of domestic violence.
For example, we know that the most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence tends to be when the person is leaving or has left the relationship (in cases of homicide related to domestic violence, 75% of the time, the victim has been in the process of leaving or has left the relationship), we know that stalking behavior increases risk (including stalking at the workplace), and other such behaviors.
So as I am preparing this presentation, I see this heartbreaking article from the Chicago Tribune www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-domestic-violence_bd16mar16,0,6195124.story about a woman named Cindy Bischof and about all of the things that happened to her before her ex-boyfriend shot her dead in the parking lot of her office on March 7.
And the "risk assessment" bullet points regarding the behavior of Cindy's ex-boyfriend are eerily similar to the "risk assessment" bullet points for my presentation. Except that she is a person who is now dead and her family is grieving her loss. It is no longer academic. It is real life and real loss.
And so I am hoping as I talk with these great loss prevention professionals that we are able to further the work employers can do to help keep workplaces safe. And people safe. . and alive.
It is really hard for me to know that there is something people can do - that employers can do - to help and maybe keep things like this from happening -- and that only 15% of employers in the United States are doing it. (Of course, there is no guarantee, but we can certainly be more, right?)
If you want to do something as an employer, go to http://www.caepv.org/ and learn more. That is why CAEPV is here -- to help employers address this issue.
And real loss prevention? Well that is not about products or inventory. . .that is about saving lives. And maybe helping to save the next Cindy Bischof.
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