American Domestic Violence Crisis Line Is Finalist For "A Better World" National Award

I am so excited that one of our CAEPV members -- the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line -- was the regional winner of the “A Better World Awards Program” competition in April and received $5,000.00.

Now, they are in the running to receive $100,000.00! They are competing with 20 other charities – and the charity that receives the most votes between July 9th and August 9th will receive the $100,000.00.

They are a really cool organization -- they help Americans who are victims of domestic violence and living overseas by assisting them in returning safely to the US. It was started by a woman named Paula Lucas on a shoestring budget. Paula has a passion for this issue because she has been there herself.

Paula and her children lived in the Middle East, where they suffered horrible abuse by her former husband. Paula successfully escaped with her children and returned to the U.S. Had her husband or his family caught her, she would have been imprisoned and would have never seen her children again. Having to fight in the U.S. to retain legal custody of her own children, Paula learned that no programs existed to assist American citizens wishing to repatriate, particularly women leaving abusive marriages overseas. That is why she started the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line.

If you think it is worth your time, you can vote for the American Domestic Violence Crisis LIne each day between now and August 9th and help them create a better world for battered American women and children around the world. All of these families originate from a state in the USA, so your vote, and the votes of your friends, co-workers and family, can really count to bring these families back home to safety.

To vote, register on line at http://www.rezoom.com/ABETTERWORLD/.

Florida Enacts Domestic Violence Leave Act

A domestic violence leave act that went into effect in Florida on July 1, 2007 requires employers with fifty (50) or more employees to provide up to three days' leave for a variety of activities connected with domestic violence issues. Employees who have worked for employers for three (3) months or longer are eligible. Whether leave is paid or unpaid has been left to the discretion of the employer.

The law covers leave for specific activities such as:

• Seeking an injunction for protection against domestic violence or repeat violence, or sexual violence
• Obtaining medical care or mental health counseling or both for the employee or a family or household member to address injuries resulting from domestic violence
• Obtaining services from victims services organizations such as a domestic violence shelter or rape crisis center
• Making the employee's home secure from the perpetrator of domestic violence or finding a new home to escape the perpetrator
• Seeking legal assistance to address issues arising from domestic violence or attending or preparing for court related proceedings arising from the act of domestic violence.

Under the law, employees are required to provide "appropriate advance notice" of the need for leave, unless prevented from doing so because of imminent danger to the health or safety of the employee or a family member. The amount of notice required is determined by company policy.

Employees must exhaust any available annual vacation or personal leave and sick leave, if applicable, unless the employer waives this requirement. Employers must keep confidential all information relating to leave for domestic violence.

Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, and denying the exercise or attempt to exercise the rights provided by this law. Additionally, employers may not discriminate or retaliate against an employee for exercising his or her rights. A person claiming to be aggrieved by a violation of the law may file a lawsuit in state circuit court seeking damages (monetary relief such as loss wages and benefits) or equitable relief (such as reinstatement) or both. To read the legislation, visit http://tinyurl.com/37v67k.

As I indicated in my last post, more and more states are passing such legislation, and so far, most employers have not indicated that allowing such leave is burdensome. The leave varies greatly from state to state, so an employee should not make an assumption that just because a law was passed in Florida under certain parameters or recently in Oregon under others that the law would be similar in his or her state, or that his or her state would have such a law at all.

As for employers, it is a very good idea to check and see if any such laws have been passed in your state - you may be surprised. If not, you may want to consider providing flexible leave policies anyway if you do not already do so. What do I mean by this? I mean allowing employees to take PTO (paid time off) for whatever reason is needed without having to designate the time as vacation or sick leave. This allows flexibility for all employees -- not just victims of domestic violence -- in how they use their leave benefits. It also allows you to be "ahead of the curve" should your state pass legislation allowing such leave.

Above all, by providing flexible leave, you have provided not only for the safety of that particular employee, but potentially your entire workforce. It is something to consider.

Oregon Governor Signs Bill Allowing Victims of Domestic VIolence and Sexual Assault to Take Unpaid Leave

On May 25, 2007, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed Senate Bill 946 into law, allowing survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking to take unpaid leave from their jobs to get services or treatment.

It is interesting to note that the bill also won support from Rob Quesnel of Tualatin, the Oregon director of American Family Insurance, the nation's third largest mutual-insurance company. He also leads the board of a domestic-violence shelter. "In many cases, a woman's place of employment is the only safe haven she has," he said. "This bill will help their safe havens continue to be safe."

There was no opposition to the bill, which is similar to laws in nine other states. The bill would allow unpaid leave for survivors to secure their homes or move, and give them time to seek law enforcement or legal help, medical attention, crisis-center services and counseling.

It applies to employers with six or more workers. Employers could limit leave time if it would create an undue hardship on the business, and the leave must be "reasonable." Accrued vacation leave or other paid leave could be used. Rules will be specified by the state Bureau of Labor and Industries, which administers Oregon's family-leave law.

The bill went into effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor.

You may wonder why the director of an insurance company would be proactively support such a bill -- after all, why would an employer want a state required leave bill?

I am guessing a few things:

1) This particular employer leads the board of a domestic violence shelter so he is aware of the importance of job security for victims of domestic violence -- as well as the importance of victims being able to get safely to court, to services, and to shelter. The leave law signed by the Oregon Governor allows for this without the victim risking his or her job, and without the employer facing an undue hardship.

2) This employer is also director of an insurance company. Insurers understand something many employers do not -- the real cost of domestic violence as a health issue. It may be that this is a case of "enlightened self-interest" -- an employer recognizing that if a victim of domestic violence can safely get the help needed, injuries and lost work are less likely in the future, thus reducing absenteeism, turnover, lost productivity, healthcare costs, and the also keeping the workplace safer.

In the state in which I live (Illinois) we have had a similar law since August of 2003, and employers have not found the law to be an undue burden.

Dating Violence and Sexual Assault Increase Suicide Risk

Here is a new study that gives us another reason to be proactive about preventing abusive relationships in young people -- a study of 8,080 public high school students in New York City finds that females who recently experienced dating violence and males who experienced sexual assault some time in their lives are more likely to report suicide attempts than their counterparts without similar histories of violence.

“Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Suicide Attempts Among Urban Teenagers” is published in the June 2007 edition of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine. In the survey, 9.6 percent of females and 5.4 percent of males reported a lifetime history of sexual assault -- first of all, those are heartbreaking percentages all by themselves.

Then to the dating violence itself -- 10.6 percent of females and 9.5 percent of males said they had experienced dating violence in the past year. Dating violence was defined as being hit, slapped or hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Adolescent girls who reported dating violence were 60 percent more likely to report one or more suicide attempts in the past year, the survey found, and males who reported sexual assault were four times as likely to have attempted suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents.

(An interesting twist is that a history of sexual assault in females and a history of dating violence in males did not increase the rates of attempted suicide.)

The study did not assess why dating violence is associated with suicide attempts, but the authors note that other studies have found that teenagers who are depressed are more likely to enter into violent relationships, and that dating violence can lead to mental health issues.

Researchers surveyed 8,080 students age 14 and older in 87 New York City public high schools.

This is why the new National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, loveisrespect.org, is such an important and valuable resource. If you have not taken the opportunity to view the web-based portion of the resource, please do so. It offers live-chat from 4:00 PM to 2:00 AM Central Time as well as a toll-free 24 hour hotline at 1-866-331-9474 or TTY 1-866-331-8453.

Verizon Wireless Polls Men, Finds Vast Majority Think The Workplace Should Address Domestic Violence

On June 7, CAEPV Member Verizon Wireless released the results of the first-ever “Father’s Day” poll of 1,020 American men, and found broad support for employer-based efforts to address domestic violence. What did they find? Here are just a few results:

87% said employers should provide information for victims about how to get help
83% said employers should have policies in place to assist victims in getting help, including job security if they take leave to get help
77% said employers should provide training for supervisors/managers on supporting victims
72% said employers should provide information/resources with guidance on talking to kids about violence-free relationships

The poll also found that 61% of those surveyed thought employers should be doing more to address domestic violence.

For full results of the poll, click here or visit http://aboutus.vzw.com/communityservice/pollresults.html.

I was actually pretty surprised by these poll results. Since I spend my time talking with people about domestic violence as a workplace issue, people are not usually quite so aware of it until you start to explain how it impacts productivity and absenteeism and healthcare and turnover and workplace safety. Then they start to understand that you are not talking about getting into people's "private business," but rather taking proactive steps to address a workplace issue that affects employees and employers.

Clearly from this poll, there is a really good understanding from men in the US that workplaces can and should be addressing domestic violence in this way. That was really a great discovery.

Google Reaches Out To DV Community Before Releasing "Street View"

You have probably heard that Google recently released a new mapping tool called Street View - a feature that combines street-level 360-degree photos with Google's now well known 2-D online maps. It is my understanding that the images were created by a special truck that has driven roads in five United States cities. If you have seen them, they are VERY detailed. While on the one hand it is amazing technology, it is a bit disconcerting. While only public places are to be part of Street View, privacy issues and stalking come to mind -- it would not take much for a person to find your workplace or place of business using this tool.

And what about a domestic violence shelter?

Well, before releasing the new photo-enabled product to the world, Google reached out to the National Network to End Domestic Violence to make sure that the business listings didn't include women's shelters and created a way for local domestic violence groups to get photos of shelters removed if they appear on Street View.

Shelter and victim advocates can request an image be taken down via the site. The image will initially be blacked out, and after two weeks, it will disappear and simply not be part of the site's navigation, according to Cindy Southworth who heads the NNEDV's technology efforts, known as the Safety Net Project.

While that is a great idea, I guess you could still "identify" a blacked out image because you would recognize it was something you were not supposed to see and identify it that way? I am not sure. At any rate, it was wise that those involved in this technology at Google saw the downside before it went live and addressed it -- for the potential safety of those involved in family violence who are using shelters or other facilities that need safe locations.

CAEPV Members Named Among 2007 Best Companies for Multicultural Women

Corporate Alliance members Allstate, American Express, Verizon Communications and Verizon Wireless were all named among the 2007 Best Companies for Multicultural Women by Working Mother. This year, Working Mother gave the most weight to the representation, recruitment and retention of women of color. The magazine analyzed the workforce profiles of companies, including the number of women of color, women in top positions and top earners; programs for women of color; and work/life programs such as childcare, elder care and time off following childbirth.

This is awesome and the companies we are fortunate to work with are often named to such "blue ribbon" lists. However -- I often wonder why lists for "best places to work" or "best places for working mothers" don't include programs and policies to address intimate partner violence in their analysis or benchmarking? After all, these are cutting edge standards that are certainly beneficial to employee health, safety and welfare.

I really look forward to the day that the "bar is raised" to include partner violence workplace programs in these lists -- and hope it happens soon!

New Study Finds Workplace Homicide Trends Decline in US, but Domestic Violence at Work Declines Least

A new study finds that workplace homicides have actually declined in the US at a greater rate than homicides in the US in general.

The study, published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, found that overall, there was a significant decline in the rates of occupational homicide of approximately 6% per year during the study time period (1993 – 2002); this decline was found to be statistically greater than the decline of all US homicides (5% per year).

However, the study found that while workplace homicides have declined, the declines have not occurred uniformly across demographic and occupational categories. Unfortunately, the researchers state, “Type IV workplace homicides—that is, those involving a personal relationship between the worker and the offender—have actually declined significantly less than overall workplace homicides and declined the least of the four types. Future research should explore the extent to which workplace homicides of intimates are a function of the victim being protected in other settings, but still being vulnerable on the job.”

To read the study, Trends in Workplace Homicides in the U.S., 1993–2002: A Decade of Decline, visit the Articles & Advice section of the CAEPV website by clicking here.

South Carolina Attorney General's Office Launches Statewide Domestic Violence Campaign with Wal-Mart

In October 2006, CAEPV Member South Carolina Office of the Attorney General partnered with Wal-Mart on a pilot public awareness campaign to fight domestic violence in South Carolina. Domestic violence awareness posters were displayed in the women's restrooms and dressing rooms of five Wal-Mart stores in the Pee Dee area with tear-off resource cards, written in both English and Spanish, listing the telephone numbers for domestic violence hotlines and local shelters. This effort allowed customers and associates to privately gather resource information.

The effort worked! In the three months following the start of the project, the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault saw a 60% increase in the number of calls they received to their victim hotline.

On May 8, 2007, the South Carolina Attorney General's Office and Wal-Mart announced they are taking the program statewide to fight domestic violence. With an additional $10,000 donation from Wal-Mart, the awareness program also includes billboards and the newly created website: You Break The Silence.

To learn more about the campaign and view the campaigns posters and billboards, go to http://www.scattorneygeneral.com/newsroom/posters.php.

CAEPV Named Finalist in "No Private Matter!" Competition

We are delighted to announce that the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (www.caepv.org) has been chosen a finalist in Changemakers's collaborative competition, “No Private Matter! Ending Abuse in Intimate and Family Relations.”

Changemaker’s notes the global response was unprecedented for this, their ninth, collaborative competition with 242 entries from 46 countries. By naming CAEPV a competition finalist, they have honored our CAEPV member companies for outstanding demonstration of innovation, social impact, and sustainability. Congratulations to our members.

Online voting for the three competition winners begins April 17 and runs to April 30. Winners will be announced May 1st. Please go to www.changemakers.net to view the entries and vote.

Safe Horizon Expands Public Awareness Campaign to National Level

CAEPV Member Safe Horizon recently partnered with the New York City Council on an exciting new public awareness campaign to raise awareness of the impact of violence and abuse on the lives of teens, young adults and children, and share information about lifesaving resources and services for those affected by violence and abuse in New York City. Now the campaign is going to a national level with information reaching across the US. Here are just a few examples of the national outreach:

· PSAs on thousands of office building elevator screens in New York City and 18 other major U.S. cities (e.g., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, Washington, D.C.)

· Full-page ads in Essence (May), Redbook (May and June), People en Espanol (June) and other major publications· Celebrity PSAs (Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann; Malaak and Chris Rock; Emme Aronson) on ClearChannel’s Premiere Network and other stations

· Highway billboards in Los Angeles

· Safe Horizon has also joined forces with the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, placing their numbers on materials to ensure that people across the nation can reach services in their own communities.

To learn more about the campaign, view all the great downloadable materials, go to http://getinvolved.safehorizon.org/site/PageServer?pagename=PAC2007_landing.

New York City Council and Safe Horizon Unveil Ad Campaign to Combat Domestic Violence

The New York City Council (in partnership with CAEPV Member Safe Horizon) unveiled a new advertising campaign April 4 to combat domestic violence. The $1.7 million public awareness program is aimed at 16 to 24-year-olds -- a group at the highest risk of being abuse victims. With the help of private contributions, pro-bono work, and $400,000 from the City Council, these ads will appear across the city to let New Yorkers know the warning signs.

Council Speaker Christine Quinn is even doing her part; she had one of the ads temporarily tattooed on her arm. The goal: to let domestic violence victims know help is available. "We want to make sure there are services there for people,” said Quinn. “We also need to make sure that people know about those services, and that's why this campaign is so important." The campaign is expected to run through the end of May. For more information on the campaign, including downloadable materials, click here.

Lifetime Devotes April To Multi-Media "End Violence Against Women" Campaign

CAEPV Member Lifetime Television has devoted the month of April to a campaign to end violence against women. This year Lifetime is expanding its Emmy-winning campaign to "End Violence Against Women" with powerful original programming, celebrity PSAs and content on all multi-media platforms; a new focus on helping women around the world through a partnership with UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and its Goodwill Ambassador, Oscar winner Nicole Kidman; a viral effort to spawn awareness and action headlined by Grammy winner Martina McBride; and a grassroots initiative in communities across the country with screenings and events on college campuses and by teaming up with multi-Grammy winner Christina Aguilera on her "Back to Basics" tour.

Check out Lifetime’s ”End Violence Against Women” mini-site. From there you can “get the facts” about topics like domestic violence and its impact on the workplace, watch PSAs with Christina Aguilera and Nicole Kidman, learn how to take action, and much more!

As just one example of taking action, Lifetime will be heading to Washington, DC April 16 - 19. Together with partner organizations, they’ve planned a week's worth of special events to rally politicians, activists, celebrities and survivors around this important cause. Some of the issues that will be addressed include sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and sex trafficking — acts of violence that affect one in three women around the world.

Verizon Wireless "Great Place To Work Ads" Feature HopeLine and Domestic Violence Survivors

CAEPV Member Verizon Wireless is running a series of “Great Place to Work” ads – with a twist. They all carry a message about domestic violence and Hopeline. Newspaper ads will appear in publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as state capital newspapers in Albany, Trenton, Annapolis, and Richmond. In addition, there will be radio ads featuring those highlighted in the print ads. The ads began appearing on March 15 and the campaign will run for approximately a year. To see an example of one of the ads click here.

50,000 Americans Touched By Domestic Violence Programs In One Day

In a single day, domestic violence programs served more than 50,000 adults and children in the United States. This astonishing data comes from the release of Domestic Violence Counts: the National Census of Domestic Violence Services (NCDVS) – a first of its kind survey. Conducted by CAEPV Member the National Network to End Domestic Violence and health economists at Harvard University, the NCDVS is the most recent data documenting the number of individuals served by domestic violence programs. In addition to providing a national snapshot, the NCDVS report also includes state-level data.

More than 1,200 domestic violence programs from across the country (62%) participated in the survey, giving advocates and researchers a glimpse into the number of individuals seeking services, the types of services requested and the number of service requests that went unmet due to a lack of resources. However, because the survey was not able to obtain a count from all domestic violence programs, advocates say the data only skims the surface. “While the census provides advocates and policymakers with tremendous insight into the need for domestic violence services, the sobering fact is that there are still many more victims who need our help,” said Else. “We need to ensure that resources are available to not only meet current needs, but to also increase public awareness so that all victims know help is available.”

The NCDVS collected a national, unduplicated count of adults and children who received life-saving services from domestic violence programs on November 2, 2006. During the 24-hour survey period 47,864 received direct services, including:
· more than 14,000 Americans sought refuge in emergency shelters
· almost 8,000 lived in transitional housing facilities
· more than 25,000 received non-residential services such as counseling, legal advocacy and children’s support groups

However, the survey found there was still a significant need for services. More than 10% of requests for services were referred elsewhere because domestic violence programs did not have the resources to aid them. “Funding cuts preclude us from employing an overnight advocate,” reported a domestic violence program in California which participated in the census. “Many times lack of overnight coverage is a deterrent for victims seeking shelter.”

In addition to providing shelter and advocacy services, domestic violence programs invested a significant amount of time and energy raising public awareness in their communities. During the survey period, domestic violence programs informed more than 40,000 Americans about domestic violence, available resources, and what they could do to help prevent the violence. Participating programs logged an unduplicated count of adults and children accessing their services between 8 a.m. EST on November 2, 2006 to 7:59 a.m. EST on November 3, 2006. This “snapshot” approach allowed researchers to document the scope of services without collecting victim-identifying data. To learn more click here.

New Study Finds 1 in 4 US Women Over Age 65 Have Been Victims of Domestic VIolence

About one in four women older than 65 has been the victim of physical, sexual or psychological violence at the hands of a spouse or other intimate partner, according to a study done in two northwestern states. About 3.5% of the women surveyed had suffered violence in the past five years, and 2.2% in the past year. "Intimate partner violence is not a problem only for younger women," said Amy Bonomi, PhD, MPH, lead author of the study and associate professor of human development and family science at Ohio State University.

The study appears in the February 2007 issue of The Gerontologist. It involved telephone interviews with 370 women aged 65 years and older who belonged to a health care system in western Washington state and northern Idaho. Bonomi said this is one of only a handful of studies to focus solely on the depth and breadth of violence perpetrated by intimate partners against older women.The results showed that 26.5% of the women surveyed reported violence by an intimate partner over their lifetimes. Of those who reported abuse, most were the victims of multiple types. "It was very rare that women experienced only one type of violence," Bonomi said. "Over half experienced two or more types of violence. That's troubling."

About 18% reported sexual or physical abuse and 22% were the victims of psychological abuse, including being threatened, called derogatory names or having their behavior controlled by their partner. The psychological abuse experienced by women in this study was not minor, Bonomi said. About 70% of women who experienced verbal threats by an intimate partner said these threats were severe. Additionally, women who reported controlling behavior had experienced this abuse for an average of 10 years.

In spite of the breadth and depth of violence in this group of women, only 3% said they had been asked by a health care provider about physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner since age 18. "Not enough doctors and other health care professionals are screening women for intimate partner abuse," Bonomi said. "The health care setting is a crucial focus for victims, because it provides a safe, confidential place for ongoing interactions between abused women and their health care providers."While the prevalence of violence found in this study is startling enough, Bonomi said it is probably an underestimate of how much it actually occurred. One reason is that women were asked to recall abuse over a lifetime. There may have been a tendency for women to downplay violence experienced early in life. In addition, women who participated in the study were consistently insured and highly educated. Violence rates tend to be higher in women without consistent insurance and women with less formal education.

Intimate partner violence takes not only a personal toll, but a financial one as well, according to Bonomi. In an earlier study by Bonomi and her colleagues, findings showed the health care costs for abused women were 19% higher than for non-abused women. "We found that health care costs for abused women were still higher even five years after the abuse stopped," Bonomi said. "This underscores the need to pay attention to the issue of intimate partner violence in health care settings." The study was supported by the federal Agency for Health Research and Quality. (Source: Ohio State University)

New Corporate Alliance Website Helps Employers With Much Needed Resources To Recognize & Respond To Domestic Violence

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) is expanding its website (http://www.caepv.org/) to provide information, tools, research, and best practices to assist employers to help respond to the impact of domestic violence on the workplace. Information on http://www.caepv.org/ can help employers of any size provide a safe and supportive work environment for employees who may be enduring intimate partner violence and abuse. The extensive upgrade of http://www.caepv.org/ was made possible through a grant from Verizon, in order to ensure that employers can easily implement workplace programs to help their employees and create safer and more productive workplaces.

The site provides employers with the following:

-The business case for understanding domestic violence as a workplace issue— including the latest statistics on health care costs, productivity, absenteeism, and workplace safety.
Simple steps companies can take to address the issue proactively – including sample policies, articles and training materials.

-Best practices and program ideas from employers across the US and around the world – including Kaiser Permanente, Liz Claiborne Inc., and Verizon Wireless.

-The latest research and findings on domestic violence and its impact on the workplace - such a comprehensive inventory of US workplace prevention practices created in partnership with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and CAEPV.

-An RSS feed to inform subscribers when the site is updated with the latest information on domestic violence and its impact on the workplace.

A national benchmark survey of 1200 employed adults released by CAEPV in October 2005 found that intimate partner violence has a wide and far-reaching effect on Americans’ working lives – with 21% of those surveyed identifying themselves as victims of domestic violence. In October 2006, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 24% of workplace violence incidents reported by employers in the past year were domestic violence-related. However, only 4% of workplaces in the US provide any kind of training to employees regarding domestic violence and its impact on the workplace.

CAEPV Executive Director Kim Wells said, “Because domestic violence’s impact does not stop at the office front door, America’s employers need to take action – by putting in place accessible programs and policies for colleagues and victims alike. Fortunately, effective programs are easy to establish and the information available on CAEPV’s new website will help employers begin to take the steps needed to create a safe and supportive work environment.”

Wells noted that the CAEPV website is considered by many across the US and around the world to be the central resource for information and resources related to domestic violence and the workplace. She said, “It is vital we are responsive in our efforts to assist employers anywhere at anytime -- and thanks to Verizon, we are able to do so through the updated technology and resources of our website."The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) is a leading force in the fight against intimate partner violence and its effects on the workplace. It is the only national organization of its kind founded by business leaders and focused on the workplace.

Since 1995, the Alliance has brought together dozens of progressive companies who exchange information, collaborate on projects, and use their influence to instigate change. The Alliance offers extensive research, policy knowledge and issue expertise to the business community, including training, program guidance, and crisis consultation – with programs designed to make the workplace safe and to prevent intimate partner violence from impacting the workplace. For more information, visit http://www.caepv.org.

Verizon delivers technology that touches life. The Verizon Foundation uses that technology and its financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education; help families victimized by domestic violence; and improve the delivery of health care. For more information on the foundation, visit http://www.verizon.com/foundation.

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline "loveisrespect.org" Now Available

In response to the alarming rates of teen dating abuse through technology and the severe knowledge gap between parents and their teens, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) and Liz Claiborne Inc. joined together to launch loveisrespect.org, The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline (NTDAH). This 24-hour national web-based and telephone resource was created to help teens (ages 13-18) experiencing dating abuse and is the only helpline in the country serving all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Although there are national hotlines for adults, teens have special needs and require specific expertise, information and communication mechanisms for overcoming dating violence. Cumulative research from the NDVH indicates that 10 percent of the 17,000 calls answered monthly at the Hotline are from teenagers and young adults.

The first of its kind, NTDAH will operate via telephone and Web 24 hours a day and will be staffed by both teen and adult advocates. Teens (and parents) anywhere in the country can call toll free, 866-331-9474 or log on to the interactive Web site, loveisrespect.org, and receive immediate, confidential assistance. The site will offer secure, live interactive chat to teens, which will present them with a familiar technology and an accessible means for communication. While online or on the phone, teens will be given support as well as referrals to local resources in their hometown to provide them with the help they need.
· Hours of Operation: NTDAH will be staffed by trained volunteer and professional advocates 24 hours a day. Teenage peer advocates will staff the helpline and Web site during a block of time each day.
· Web site: NTDAH offers a live, interactive Web site -- loveisrespect.org - to provide a safe, confidential online resource for teens to ask questions, share experiences or express their feelings. The site features live interactive, instant chat with advocates. There will also be message boards, blogs as well as other valuable information to help teens cope with and understand healthy dating behavior and relationships.
· Phone number: 866.331.9474(866-331-8453 for the Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing)
· Staffing: Trained peer volunteers between the ages of 16-24 will provide advocacy during the peak hours of noon-2:00 a.m. (4:00 p.m. to midnight from February-May 2007). Trained adult advocates will provide assistance to peer advocates as well as overflow assistance and staffing during off-peak hours.
· Training: All volunteers have received more than 40 hours of training from current NDVH supervisory staff, survivors of teen violence and other experts in the field. Additionally, advocates will receive ongoing advanced training for issues related to violence to further assist teens in dealing with relationships.
· Confidentiality: NTDAH will not collect or maintain data that will compromise confidentiality such as IP addresses or caller ID. NTDAH will make all efforts to ensure that information is anonymous and confidential including training of staff to assure that privacy is of utmost concern.

Liz Claiborne Sponsors Technology & Teen Dating Abuse Survey

A new survey on teens and dating abuse reveals that an alarming number of teens in dating relationships are being controlled, threatened and humiliated through cell phones and the Internet with unimaginable frequency. The research also reveals disturbing data that a significant majority of parents are completely unaware of this type of dating abuse and the dangers facing their teens. The survey was conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) for CAEPV Member Liz Claiborne Inc. Teens surveyed range in age from 13-18. Key Findings Include:

Teens report dating abuse via technology is a serious problem
-71% of teens regard boyfriends/girlfriends spreading rumors about them on cellphones and social networking sites as a serious problem.
-68% of teens say boyfriends/girlfriends sharing private or embarrassing pictures/videos on cell phones and computers is a serious problem.

Cell phone calls and texting at unimaginable frequency mean constant control day and night
-Nearly one in four teens in a relationship (24%) communicated with their partner via cellphone or texting HOURLY between midnight and 5:00am.
-One in three teens (30%) say they are text messaged 10, 20, 30 times an hour by a partner inquiring where they are, what they're doing, or who they're with.

Parents do not know about dating teens' constant contact
-67% of parents whose teens were checked up on 30 times per day on their cell phone were unaware this was happening.
-82% of parents whose teens were e-mailed or texted 30 times per hour were unaware this was happening.

Cell phones and the Internet have become weapons of teen dating abuse
-One in four teens in a relationship (25%) say they have been called names, harassed, or put down by their partner through cellphones and texting.
-One in five teens in a relationship (22%) have been asked to engage in sex by cellphone or the Internet when they do not want to.

Parents do not know about this abuse
-71% of parents were unaware that their teen is afraid of not responding to a cell phone call, text or IM message or e-mail for fear of what their partner might do.
-67% of parents were unaware that their teen was asked to have sex or engage in sexual acts via cell phone, e-mail, IM, or texting when they did not want to.

Parents believe technology makes dating abuse more prevalent and more hidden - yet few are doing anything about it
-57% of parents believe that computers and cell phones make abuse in teen dating relationships more likely to occur. And 53% of parents believe that computers and cell phones make abuse easier to conceal.
-But roughly one in four parents of teens (28%) say they limit their teenager's use of a cell phone and online communications with a partner.

Parents also do not know that their teens are victims of physical and sexual abuse
-75% of parents were unaware that their teen had been physically hurt or bruised by their partner.
-69% of parents were unaware that their teen was pressured by their partner to perform oral sex.
-58% of parents were unaware that their teen had been hit, slapped, pushed, punched, kicked or choked by their partner.

Click here to read the full report.

National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week February 5 - 9; Liz Claiborne Announces New National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

This year, the United States Senate and the House of Representatives have again declared the first full week of February “National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week.” Both Houses of Congress are calling upon government representatives and agencies, private organizations and public officials to promote activities in their respective communities that raise awareness of teen dating violence and promote prevention strategies.

On January 17, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Joe Lieberman, Patty Murray and Mike Crapo sent a letter to each Governor and the Mayor of Washington, D.C., asking for support of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week, February 5 - 9, 2007. To date, over 50 national, state and local organizations are partners in this year’s initiative.

CAEPV Member Liz Claiborne Inc. and the National Domestic Violence Hotline are excited to announce the launch of the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline on February 7th, 2007. The opening of the new hotline coincides with the second annual National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week (February 5th - 9th, 2007), and it will mark the beginning of the first national peer crisis line designated specifically for teens and young adults who are experiencing violence in their relationships.

Teens and young adults will also be able to visit the Teen Dating Violence Hotline’s Web site, which will provide safe, confidential information on dating and relationship violence. Online message boards where teens can ask questions and share experiences, or just express their feelings will also be available. The Hotline and Web site will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with teen peer advocates on the lines from 12 pm to 2 am, a time when many calls are expected. Young adult advocates ages 18-24 will also provide overnight services and support to serve more college-aged youth.

Competition To Showcase World's Most Innovative Domestic Violence Prevention Programs

An unprecedented competition to find innovative solutions to the domestic violence that plagues families and communities in the United States and around the world began January 17, 2007. The competition, No Private Matter! Ending Abuse in Intimate and Family Relations, is sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and utilizes Changemakers’ online, open source competition model. Dozens of violence prevention programs—based in the U.S. and countries around the world—are expected to propose novel approaches to help eliminate intimate partner and family violence.

The No Private Matter! competition, running through March 28 at www.changemakers.net, is designed not only to catalyze entrepreneurs to tackle this important issue but also to connect promising solutions with key decision makers, investors and health and social service providers. It also creates opportunities for peers to learn about and refine the strategies developed by their colleagues in order to advance the most promising strategies to end abuse.
A distinguished panel of judges will choose 12 finalists who are leading prevention programs that are innovative and effective, have significant social impact and are sustainable. All will be given myriad opportunities to showcase their programs. Three of the 12 will receive cash prizes of $5,000. The judges include Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler, RWJF Senior Program Officer Jeane Ann Grisso and Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention Director Cindy Waitt.

“The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is delighted to partner with Changemakers to identify and promote the most promising solutions to keeping women and children safe,” Grisso said. “This innovative, open source competition allows us to engage a broad community of social entrepreneurs to help stop domestic violence in the U.S. and improve the health and well-being of children and families affected by abuse.”

The Changemakers competition model is focused on building a community of innovators solving complex social problems and has been used successfully to source and scale innovations on topics including disaster response and affordable housing. “No Private Matter!” is the ninth Changemakers competition. Entries are being accepted in the competition through March 28, and winners will be announced by Changemakers on May 1st.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that in 2004 there were more than 625,000 nonfatal intimate partner victimizations in the United States, and the vast majority of victims were female. On average, more than three women a day in the U.S. are killed by intimate partners.
“No Private Matter” is the first in a series of competitions the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will sponsor with Changemakers this year; all involve pressing health and health care issues. (Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)

NFL Most Valuable Player Takes A Stand On Domestic Violence

NFL Most Valuable Player LaDainian Tomlinson is helping to get the word out that domestic violence won't be tolerated in San Diego. The Chargers running back is appearing this year in the awareness posters for the San Diego Family Justice Center above the words "Nobody Hits Me." The posters are available at no cost at any San Diego fire or police station. The goal is for the posters to be displayed in public places to encourage people to get out of violent relationships.

Domestic Violence Rates Fell 50 Percent Between 1993 - 2004

On December 28, the Justice Department released a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics noting that domestic violence rates fell sharply between 1993 and 2004.

American Indian women and native Alaskan women are far more likely to be victimized than whites and other minorities. The Bureau of Justice Statistics said that "intimate partner violence" rates fell by more than 50 percent. The decline mirrored a decade-long trend in other violent crimes, and the department did not suggest a cause.

"There's still generally no consensus about why any crime in general has dropped," said Shannan Catalano, the study's author. "It's safe to say it's more than one factor that went into it." Some experts attribute the decline to better training for police and more funding for prosecution, two key elements of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act. Investigators increasingly are better trained to handle abuse cases and bring them to court.

"For the first time, there are entire domestic violence units in law enforcement," said Lonna Stevens, director of the Sheila Wellstone Institute, a Minnesota-based domestic violence organization. "We've had protocols and policies developed for responding to this."
In 1993, there were about 5.8 incidents of nonfatal violence for every 1,000 U.S. residents above the age of 12. By 2004, that number had fallen to 2.6, the agency said. Homicides fell by about 30 percent, from 2,269 in 1993 to 1,544 in 2004.

The Justice Department defines intimate partner violence as violence by a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend or a same-sex partner.

Stevens said police have been less successful responding to and deterring abusive behavior in some minority communities, where racism and cultural differences can keep reporting rates low.
Over the 12-year reporting period, about 18 out of every 1,000 American Indian and native Alaskan women were victimized - a violence rate three times higher than among white women.
Black women were more likely than white women to be abused but the study also found that they were more likely to report their abuse to the police than white women.

Women in their early 20s and women who were divorced or separated had the greatest risk of being abused, the study found. Violence was also more common in low-income households.
Asian males, white males and the elderly reported the lowest rates of partner violence.

Corporate Alliance in Turkey - and the "Ick Factor"

I haven't written for a while, but that is because I have been doing a lot of traveling and speaking. One wonderful opportunity was to be in Istanbul in November with companies working on the "Corporate Alliance" model in Turkey. They are challenging themselves to reach the top 25 companies in their country -- led by Hurriyet, the very large and very popular daily newspaper in Turkey.

Hurriyet's CEO, Vuslat Doğan Sabancı, is leading the charge on this issue. On the front page of the paper, she called on all companies to unite against domestic violence and said, "We would like to invite all companies to form an alliance of the private sector against this problem. This is one of the main topics of this conference.”

It is quite amazing to have a large media company with such influence take such a strong stance on this issue and to use precious "business space" and time and resources to address it. It would be exciting to have the New York Times or Washington Post do the same thing some day -- following the lead of Hurriyet.

We look forward to working with the companies in Turkey and in learning from them and sharing together.

It was interesting as we asked the attendees to break into smaller groups and develop lists of potential "obstacles" to companies understanding how domestic violence impacts the workplace and why businesses should become involved. The obstacles the participants in Turkey outlined were the same obstacles that our partners everywhere face:

• businesses don't know the "business case" for addressing domestic violence
• they don't understand how it impacts their workplaces right now
• they are concerned about overstepping their boundaries as employers
• they don't see how addressing the issue preventatively can benefit them, etc.
• there is that really uncomfortable "ick" factor about domestic violence

And while the "answers" to those obstacles may be different in the different countries with which we partner, the obstacles are eerily similar. We are not talking about companies taking on something just to be "kind" -- it is about addressing something that impacts the workplace and that benefits them to address.

And about the "ick factor." It is interesting -- when I was stuck in a certain city during the snow/ice storms in early December I was really struck by the "uncomfortable subject" part of this issue. Since I was in the Executive Lounge of the hotel hanging out with business people and talking, the subject of my job came up. The variance in reactions what fascinating -- some people were very polite, some were interested and really understood the impact of domestic violence on the workplace ("like a work-life issue, right?" one guy said). . . and then there was the other "ick factor" reaction. People who had been really seeming to enjoy my company were suddenly not so comfortable talking with me when they found out what I did for a job.

Why? I am not sure. But clearly, domestic violence makes people uncomfortable. And it should -- it is a terrible, terrible thing. But I was fascinated that even in a pretty "sanitized" discussion about the issue, some people could not wait to leave the conversation.

Clearly, there is lots to do to help people be able to have a conversation as a starting point. And using the communication network and resources of a workplace to provide information and help to employees who need it is quite powerful.

Congratulations to Hurriyet and all those all over the world who are leading the way!

VERIZON FOUNDATION SPONSORS UPDATE TO CAEPV WEBSITE

I am very excited to announce that through the generosity of the Verizon Foundation, CAEPV will be upgrading the platform of its website and making changes that will make the site even more user-friendly and easier to navigate.

The CAEPV website is considered by many an invaluable resource providing a vast (and ever-growing) inventory of information, tools, research, materials and statistics related to domestic violence and the workplace. It is important to us that we are responsive in our effort to make the site the best it can be - and thanks to the Verizon Foundation, those visiting the new site will find it much easier to locate what they need.

Consider this -- the CAEPV National Telephone Survey (also generously sponsored by the Verizon Foundation) found that 21% of full-time employed adults are victims of domestic violence -- and the Bureau of Labor Statistic (BLS) survey released in October '06 indicated 24% of workplace violence incidents in the past year were domestic violence related for companies with 1,000 or more employees.

These statistics alone are enough to see the value of providing an updated CAEPV website. Then, when one considers the BLS finding that only 4% of US workplaces provide any kind of training on domestic violence - the information on the site becomes vital to changing this situation and the landscape of US businesses.

The new site is scheduled to premiere in February of 2007. We hope it will make it even easier to help employers find the tools they need to recognize and respond to domestic violence effectively in the workplace.

HALF OF LARGE US EMPLOYERS HAD WORKPLACE VIOLENCE INCIDENT IN LAST YEAR -- BUT ONLY 30% OF EMPLOYERS HAVE A WORKPLACE VIOLENCE POLICY OR PROGRAM

Half of employers with 1,000 or employees in the United States had an incident of workplace violence within the 12 months prior to completing a new survey on workplace violence prevention, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in The Survey of Workplace Violence Prevention, released October 27, 2006.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted the survey for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The survey looks at the prevalence of security features, the risks facing employees, employer policies and training, and related topics associated with maintaining a safe work environment.

The survey asked whether an incident of workplace violence had occurred during the past year and, if so, how had the incident affected the staff and had the employer implemented changes to reduce the risk of further incidence.

While 5 percent of all establishments, including state and local governments, had a violent incident, half of the largest establishments (employing 1,000 or more workers) reported an incident. In these largest establishments, the most prevalent type of incident was co-worker (34.1 percent), followed by a customer or client (28.3 percent), domestic violence (24.1 percent), and criminal (17.2 percent).

More than 28 percent of respondents with 250 to 999 employees said they had an incident of workplace violence in the last year.

Of all establishments reporting an incident of workplace violence in the previous 12 months, 21 percent reported that the incident affected the fear level of their employees and twenty-one percent indicated that the incident affected their employees’ morale.

Over 70 percent of United States workplaces have no formal program or policy that addresses workplace violence.

In establishments that reported having a workplace violence program or policy (approximately 30%), private industry most frequently reported addressing co-worker violence (82 percent). Customer or client violence was the next most frequent subject of private industry policies or programs (71 percent), followed by criminal violence (53 percent) and domestic violence (44 percent).*

Twenty percent of establishments in private industry provided training on preventing workplace violence while 32 percent of local government workplaces and 58 percent of state government workplaces provided this training. Only 4 percent of all establishments trained on domestic violence and its impact on the workplace.

Forty-three percent of private industry establishments report tracking the cost of workplace injuries and illnesses while less than half of those (20 percent) report tracking costs related to incidents of workplace violence.

To view the entire report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, visit http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osnr0026.txt or http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osnr0026.pdf

(* CAEPV NOTE: This does NOT mean 44% of establishments have a workplace program or policy addressing domestic violence. It means that of those establishments that have any kind of workplace violence policy (30% of the total surveyed), only 44% have a policy or program on domestic violence. So in this case, the BLS survey came up with a lower percentage of employers with domestic violence workplace programs and policies than did the CAEPV National Telephone Survey.)

What Do You Say?

So -- on September 21 we are asking people to "take a moment to talk" about domestic violence. That leads to the question: "What do you say to someone if you are concerned that they may be in an abusive relationship?"

Here is a pretty good way that I've found to talk with someone -- granted this is my style and everyone has a different style, but it goes something like this:

"You know I really care a lot about you. I've noticed you haven't been yourself lately, and that (and you would fill in here the other things you've noticed -- like that the person seems afraid of their boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife, has unexplained injuries, seems isolated, etc.). I would rather be wrong or have you mad at me for asking than ever have anything bad happen to you so I just have to check in with you and ask -- are you safe in your relationship?"

Because really, if you think about it, that is the point, isn't it? You WOULD rather be embarrassed or feel uncomfortable asking, or be wrong rather than have something bad happen to a friend of yours and not say something.

And -- so what if your friend tells you that he or she is fine? Then say "Hey, that is great. But if you ever decide you aren't ok, I want you to know my door is always open."

And then you may want to check in again with your friend again in a few weeks just to see how things are going. People don't always tell you right away when they are in a relationship that is not safe or good for them. It takes time and it is not easy.

For help or advice anytime and in 160 languages, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

Take a moment to talk on September 21. Maybe you can help change a life.

IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY SEPTEMBER 21

IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY is September 21 -- less than a month away!

What exactly is that? It is a day to do something pretty simple -- take a moment to talk about domestic violence. Or -- talk to your child about healthy relationships, check in with your partner and see how your relationship is doing, talk with a friend if you are concerned about them, educate yourself about the warning signs of unhealthy relationships, encourage your workplace to develop a program to address the impact of domestic violence on employees.

Look for IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY in the October issue of Redbook - coming to newsstands in mid-September. And don’t forget to visit the Liz Claiborne "Love Is Not Abuse" site -- you can get there by going to http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/itstimetotalk/index.html. You will find an event toolkit, ideas, and information about what happened during its IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY last year to inspire you! Stay tuned for more information about how you can get involved in IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY 2006!

For CAEPV’s 2006 IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY page, visit http://www.caepv.org/about/program_l.asp.

CAEPV ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER INVENTORY OF WORKPLACE PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) is pleased to announce the release of a report to inventory the various ways private companies are utilizing workplace programs to prevent intimate partner violence. Part of a seven month-long study, CAEPV has been working with RTI International to identify and detail workplace programs throughout the United States through a contract funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We are honored to have been able to assist RTI in this CDC-funded project to develop an inventory of workplace programs to address intimate partner violence, and we congratulate the many CAEPV companies that participated in the inventory.

This project was developed with the intention of subsequent information initiating continued evaluation of the impact of programs and their level of cost-effectiveness for companies. It is anticipated that the compiled statistics will benefit not only employees and their safety, but will provide guidance on the most effective use of time and money by the employers as well. RTI International researchers anticipate that this will be a helpful and important tool for both understanding and addressing intimate partner violence (IPV) and its impact on the workplace.

While many companies have instituted policies, procedures, and activities to address intimate partner violence issues in the workplace, these efforts have never before been systematically documented. Although the inventory is not intended to be exhaustive in current workplace efforts to address IPV, it is a first step to collecting more information about the current status of Workplace Intimate Partner Violence interventions and will be a valuable resource for employers and organizations committed to IPV prevention.

Intimate partner violence is a significant public health problem in the United States and has detrimental effects to individuals, families, and society. The release of this inventory is truly an encouraging and constructive development for IPV prevention nationwide.

To view the inventory on the CAEPV website (the only place it is currently available), visit http://www.caepv.org/membercenter/library/docDetail.asp?doc_id=457&cat_id=1.

National Sexual Assault Hotline Helps One-Millionth Person

RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization, announced on July 18 that the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE) has helped its one-millionth caller.

This milestone represents an important shift in the national perception of sexual violence and treatment of victims. RAINN participated in the July 18 NASDAQ Closing Bell ceremony, dedicated specifically to this important milestone in the fight against sexual assault. “The world was a different place when RAINN created the National Sexual Assault Hotline 12 years ago,” said Scott Berkowitz, president and founder of RAINN. “Sexual violence was not part of the public discussion, and many victims were not getting the help they needed.”

In response, RAINN created, and continues to run, the National Sexual Assault Hotline, the country’s only national hotline for sexual assault victims. The hotline, which provides free, confidential live help, 24/7, is a partnership with 1,102 local rape crisis centers in 50 states and DC. Tens of thousands of volunteers and staff from these local partners help callers every hour of every day, playing a direct and positive role in the recovery process.

Calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline have quadrupled to more than 11,000 a month, from 2,800 a month in its first year (1994). In 2005, the hotline helped a record 137,039 people. Fortunately, the increase in calls does not reflect an increase in sexual violence. In fact, sexual assault has decreased by 58 percent since the hotline started, according to the latest data from the U.S Department of Justice. Meanwhile, the percentage of victims who report their attack to police, a necessary first step towards getting repeat rapists off our streets, has increased by about one third.

Despite this progress, much work remains to be done. Every 2.5 minutes, another American is sexually assaulted. To honor the first one million callers to the National Sexual Assault Hotline and continue raising awareness, RAINN is launching a special version of its website, which premiered on July 18. RAINN will soon launch the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline, the web’s first secure hotline offering live help.

To learn more, visit www.rainn.org.

THE ALLSTATE FOUNDATION RELEASES NEW POLL FINDINGS AND FINANCIAL TIPS TO HELP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS ACHIEVE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE

The Allstate Foundation has released the findings of its National Poll on Domestic Violence, which was conducted to gauge public awareness of the issue and reveal how Americans view domestic violence. The findings will be used to help the Foundation provide programming for its Domestic Violence Program, which focuses on the financial concerns of domestic violence survivors. Key findings of the national poll include:

- 83% of respondents strongly agreed that domestic violence affects people in all racial, ethnic, educational, social and economic backgrounds.

- Approximately six out of ten respondents strongly agree that the lack of money and a steady income is often a challenge faced by a survivor of domestic violence when leaving her/his abuser.

- More than a quarter (28%) of respondents thought that finding access to money or income to support the victim and/or children was the most difficult problem faced by those leaving an abusive situation, ranking second only to fear that the abuser would find the victim.
The majority of respondents reported that programs to help with financial challenges would be very valuable to domestic violence victims.
>Three quarters (75%) thought emergency funds would be very valuable.
>Two thirds (67%) thought education and job training would be very valuable.
>More than half (54%) thought training to help with financial challenges would be very valuable.

The poll is part of The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program, which works in partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Fund to provide comprehensive programming and resources to help survivors connect to resources that will help them live more safe and secure lives.

"Allstate is dedicated to helping domestic violence survivors feel better protected today and prepared for the future," said Angela Cobb, program manager, The Allstate Foundation. "Our national poll shows us just how pervasive domestic violence is in the United States -- and how important it is to empower these survivors economically." In addition to releasing the poll findings, The Allstate Foundation also offers six tips for domestic violence victims and survivors looking to secure their financial future:

1. Plan for your safety by contacting your local domestic violence program to discuss your options and learn about the community resources you can access for support (i.e., emergency assistance funds, shelter, utility assistance, rent assistance, public benefits, and affordable housing). To locate a program in your community, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-SAFE. Language translation is available.

2. Obtain a copy of your credit report and monitor your credit often. Most financial institutions provide credit monitoring services such as Privacy Guard at low costs. You can get a copy of your credit report by contacting one of the three credit bureaus. Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 or http://www.equifax.com; Experian: 1-866-966-1067 or http://www.experian.com; TransUnion: 1-877-680-7275 or http://www.transunion.com; FREE Annual Credit Report http://www.annualcreditreport.com, or 1-877-322-8228.

3. Open a post office box for mail and any financial information you may receive before you leave or immediately after you leave an abusive situation. You can obtain P.O. boxes from the United States Post Office or vendors such as Parcel Plus, Mail Boxes Etc., or the UPS Store.

4. Call your utility companies, wireless telephone service and financial institutions to secure your private information with special pin codes and passwords. Be sure to do the same on all new credit, wireless or utility accounts. Ask these companies to use identifiers other than your Social Security Number, date of birth or mother's maiden name to authenticate your identity.

5. Change all ATM and debit card pin codes, online banking passwords and online investing passwords. Be sure to change the password on your e-mail account as well.

6. Be sure to make necessary changes to your insurance plans, will or trust beneficiaries to appoint a new person if your partner is your current designee.

"Survivors of domestic violence often face myriad financial challenges that prevent them from escaping abusive situations," said Gretta Gardner, NNEDV Fund program manager. "Whether we're helping survivors to find safe shelter, become financially literate, repair damaged credit, or participate in a job training program, The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program will help domestic violence survivors prepare for futures of economic autonomy and opportunity."

The Allstate Foundation conducted the National Poll on Domestic Violence in December 2005 and January 2006. The poll was designed and administered by Murphy Marketing Research, with input from the NNEDV Fund. More than 1,000 men and women of all races, ethnicities, income and education levels participated in the poll. Response quotas closely mirrored the ethnic breakdown of the current U.S. population -- 16% African-American, 14% Hispanic and 6% Asian.

Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation. Allstate and The Allstate Foundation sponsor community initiatives to promote "safe and vital communities"; "tolerance, inclusion, and diversity"; and "economic empowerment." The Allstate Foundation believes in the financial potential of every individual and in helping America's families achieve their American dream. For additional information, visit http://www.allstate.com/foundation.

Domestic Violence Costs Northern Ireland Economy £90M* Every Year

Domestic violence costs the Northern Ireland economy £90m* every year due to staff taking time off work, Criminal Justice Minister David Hanson has said. Mr. Hanson was speaking at the launch of government guidelines for employers to assist employees who have suffered domestic violence and abuse. The guidelines will be circulated to over 4,000 employers across Northern Ireland. "They are in a unique position to offer support to victims and it is very much in their interest to do so," he said.

"Living with physical violence or psychological abuse can result in deterioration in an employee's performance, poor timekeeping and increased absenteeism within the work place." "Every year in Norther Ireland around £90m is lost to the economy because of time-off work due to domestic violence." The guidelines, published on May 22, are part of the government's "Tackling Violence at Home Strategy" which was launched in October 2005.

*$168,083,000 USD - conversion done at CAEPV on 5/24/06

NEW YORK CITY ADS STRIKE BACK AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The images are startling and that's the point. A woman, her left cheek bruised, has the following message dripping out of her nose like a stream of blood: "38% of battered women will be victimized again within six months." Another shows a young girl with two massive welts on her back. "Last year, 1 in 12 high school students was beaten by a person they were dating," is printed boldly inside one of the bruises.

New York City unveiled a new public service advertising campaign designed to encourage victims of domestic violence to get help. "Last year, domestic violence was responsible for nearly one out of every eight homicides in our city," Mayor Bloomberg said on May 18. "What's just as disturbing is that almost none of these victims ever called the city's domestic violence hotline," Bloomberg said at a City Hall press conference with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) and Yolanda Jimenez, commissioner of the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence, along with playwright and activist Eve Ensler.

The ads, which urge victims or loved ones to call 311, will appear in English and Spanish on subways, buses and other sites around the city. Postcard-sized copies will be distributed at nail salons. Ensler also helped put together a two-week program - funded with private dollars - to raise awareness of violence against women and girls.

"Until The Violence Stops: NYC," which will run from June 12-27, will feature musical and theatrical performances, and celebrities will include Jane Fonda, Rosie O'Donnell, Kathy Bates and Diane Lane. One of the theatrical events will benefit the city's Family Justice Center in Brooklyn.

According to the city, police officers handle 600 domestic violence-related calls each day. Most of the victims killed in domestic violence incidents had no order of protection and had not previously contacted police.

Lawsuit Filed Against NYC Employer For Discrimination Against Domestic Violence Victim

New York, NY - In late April, the ACLU Women’s Rights Project filed EEOC charges on behalf of a domestic violence victim who was discriminated and retaliated against by her employer after she revealed that she was the victim of domestic abuse and took measures to assert her legal rights as a victim. According to Caroline Bettinger-López of the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, this EEOC filing followed on the heals of a lawsuit that they filed last month on behalf of this employee, alleging violations of the 2001 and 2003 amendments to the New York City Human Rights Law, which prohibit employment discrimination against domestic violence victims and require employers to provide victims with “reasonable accommodations.” According to the ACLU, the client was terminated by her employer after she revealed that she was a victim of domestic violence and requested time off to attend to medical, legal, and other safety needs, and a safety transfer to another worksite. Each time the client asserted her rights as a victim of domestic violence and attempted to protect herself from continued abuse, her employer retaliated against her by systematically increasing threats of discipline and actual discipline of her, and ultimately terminating her. In the lawsuit, the ACLU requests reinstatement, a safety transfer, back pay, monetary compensation for emotional distress, and other appropriate relief.

Caroline says, “We hope that our case will build off the success of Reynolds v. Fraser, the first case brought under these new provisions of the New York City Human Rights Law. That case was brought as a “special” Article 78 proceeding challenging the decision of the New York City Department of Correction (DOC) to terminate a victim of domestic violence after she revealed her victim status. In a lengthy consideration of the public policy reasons behind the amended New York City legislation, the judge in Reynolds found that “[t]he ability to hold on to a job is one of a victim’s most valuable weapons in the war for survival, since gainful employment is the key to independence from the batterer.” The judge then vacated DOC’s decision to terminate Ms. Reynolds’ employment and ordered reinstatement and back pay.”

Illinois Police May Be Sued For Not Intervening In Domestic Violence Cases

Springfield, IL - Local police agencies' immunity from lawsuits does not apply when they fail to intervene in domestic violence cases, the state Supreme Court of Illinois ruled on April 20, 2006. Justices decreed that the estate of a Chicago woman may sue police for allegedly ignoring her April 2002 call for help when her estranged husband entered her home with a gun. Witnesses saw two police officers outside the residence in their car, but they drove away without going inside. Ronyale White was shot to death minutes later.

In a separate opinion, however, the court upheld the decades-old tort immunity law, which bars lawsuits against local governments to prevent a flood of litigation that would overburden taxpayers. The court ruled that the estate of Doris Hays may not sue authorities in Rock Island and Henry counties after a witness reported Hays drove off a highway into a ditch but no one investigated. Hays' body was found three days later near her car at the accident scene.

In the Chicago case, the court decided that the domestic violence law trumped the tort immunity act. The unanimous decision by Justice Thomas Fitzgerald points out that the domestic violence statute grants immunity against local governments "unless the act is a result of willful or wanton misconduct."

There is no such provision in the 41-year-old tort immunity act, which the court said applies to the Hays case. Justice Mary Ann McMorrow believes there should be. As in past cases, she dissented in the Hays matter, arguing that if the Legislature intended to protect local governments from lawsuits for willful and wanton misconduct, the law should say so.

"Blanket immunity should not be afforded to acts performed by local governmental entities or government officials in bad faith, especially where the provision of life-and-death police protection services are at issue," McMorrow wrote. The cases are Moore v. Green and DeSmet v. Rock Island. On the Net: http://www.state.il.us/court/Opinions/Search.htm

RAINN TO LAUNCH THE WEB'S FIRST SECURE ONLINE HOTLINE

This fall, RAINN (The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) will launch the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline, which will be the web's first secure hotline service, offering live help 24 hours a day. RAINN is creating the Online Hotline in response to user demand for a new way to access services. While calls to RAINN’s telephone hotline continue to increase, research and observation are finding an increased reluctance among young people to use the phone.

Because nearly half of all rape victims are under 18, and fully 80% are under 30, RAINN sees the need to respond to the growing desire to communicate online instead of by phone. Already, 75% of teens and young adults, and 74% of all women, get the majority of their health information online. But, in the case of sexual assault victims, what they're finding is pretty scary. The places where they are currently getting help online — chat rooms, blogs, message boards, and listserves — all have major flaws. The people providing help are untrained and unsupervised. And the sites are not secure, so postings are not confidential. After studying the current situation, it became clear that RAINN needed to create a safe and secure service that could provide live help from trained volunteers. Their solution is the Online Hotline, launching this September.

The US Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), excited about the potential of this unique technology to help a new generation of users, are providing discretionary grants to develop the service. Diane Stuart, director of OVW, commented that, "OVW is pleased to support the development of RAINN's Online Hotline. It is an essential new service for a generation of victims seeking help. I congratulate RAINN for its forward thinking on this most important issue."

Bob Flores, the administrator of OJJDP, observed that, "Victims who receive help are significantly more likely to report their attack to police and to participate in prosecution. By drawing in hundreds of thousands of victims who would never use a telephone hotline, we expect the Online Hotline to play a vital role in our efforts to combat sexual violence and help its victims."

One click will take users from www.rainn.org to the Online Hotline. There, they will anonymously request help and be connected to a trained volunteer for live, one-on-one support. While there will be a great deal of advanced technology at work behind the scenes, the user's screen will be as clear and intuitive as instant messaging, so there will be no learning curve.

Of course, privacy and confidentiality are of the utmost importance. In order to ensure confidentiality for Online Hotline users, RAINN worked with their tech partners to build a new communications infrastructure that integrates security and anonymity at every level. The application will not capture the IP address of users, so sessions can't be traced back to them. They developed a "chat controller" that, once it connects a user with a trained volunteer, breaks the link to ensure that no record of the session or user remains. And, transcripts of sessions will not be stored.

The pilot launch of the Online Hotline will begin in May, with a national launch expected in September. For more info, visit www.rainn.org/programs/online-hotline/ . (Source: Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)

Study Finds Workplace Supports Help Victims of Domestic Violence Stay Employed & Productive

Victims of domestic violence may be more likely to stay employed when the workplace offers some type of support, according to a study conducted by a research team at the University of Kentucky.

“Working Women Making it Work: Intimate Partner Violence, Employment, Disclosure and Workplace Supports” is one of the first studies to look at the role of workplace policies in helping victims of domestic violence maintain employment. The study was presented in March at the International Work, Stress, and Health 2006 conference in Miami, and will be published in 2007 in a special issue of the Journal of Interpersonal Violence.

“Maintaining employment is very important to the employed victim, and to the employer, since turnover is very costly on both sides,” said Jennifer Swanberg, Ph.D., who led the study with her colleagues TK Logan, Ph.D. and Caroline Macke, MSW. “In our study, among women who told someone at work about the partner victimization, the use of workplace support initiatives that include flexible working hours, supervisor-approved workload modifications, and implementation of safeguards such as the screening telephone calls, may have helped then to remain employed.”

This is a big deal for employers interested in effectiveness of workplace practices to address domestic violence!

New Technology Helps National Domestic Violence Hotline Reach Out To Callers

The last thing a battered woman wants to hear when she calls the National Domestic Violence Hotline is a busy signal. But that was happening more frequently in recent years, as the hotline's equipment struggled to keep up with monthly call volumes that jumped from 7,000 in 1996 to 16,500 today.

Hotline workers hope recently unveiled innovative technology will put an end to those problems and let them answer more calls, handle them more quickly and help more abused women. In the first two week time period the system went on line, the average call length fell from 20 minutes to between five and seven minutes, said Sheryl Cates, the hotline's executive director. That adds up with workers handling up to 600 calls each day. "This is truly a day of dreams coming true," Cates said.

The technology, developed and donated by companies including Microsoft, Dell and AOL, includes mapping software, networked computers and 72 phone lines, three times as many as the hotline had before. Rather than flipping through paper maps and lists of shelters, which often were outdated, hotline workers now can type in the caller's location and use mapping software to find help nearby, whether it's emergency transportation or a shelter with workers who speak her language. And instead of just giving the victim a list of shelter phone numbers and hoping she has the time and courage to call, hotline workers can make conference calls and find a place that has room.

Experts estimate that between 2 million and 4 million women in the United States are battered each year, and more than half of the victims live with children under 12. Government studies have found that on average more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends every day. U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., who wrote the legislation that created the hotline, said a crucial step in reversing those statistics is convincing women they don't have to take the abuse. The hotline's workers are a powerful ally in that fight, he said. "You give them a reason to believe they can make it," he said. "Women feel empowered to come forward now. They now believe that they have someone behind them, they're not alone."

Forty-eight-year-old hotline worker Rose Garcia knows how difficult it is to reach out for help and how devastating it would be to get a busy signal. Garcia and her three children left her physically and verbally abusive husband 12 1/2 years ago, staying in a Fort Worth shelter until she could rebuild her life. She eventually began volunteering there and then moved to Austin to help open the hotline. "I thank God today that I am not a statistic," she said. "I can stand tall and have a strong voice and let women know like myself that they can live violence free and succeed in life." To contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline call 1-800-799-SAFE or 1-800-787-3224 TTY for the deaf. The hotline operates 24 hours a day 365 days a year in 140 languages.

EVERY CLICK COUNTS AND YOU CAN HELP!

With just one click, you can help survivors of domestic violence gain access to the job training and education that will move them toward a more secure financial future. For every visit made to their partnership program's website, Allstate Insurance Company (through the Allstate Foundation) will donate $1 to education and job training for domestic abuse survivors. The Allstate Foundation, in partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence, is launching the Education and Job Training Assistance Fund, offering scholarships and other resources to individuals who have dealt with domestic abuse. For every click on the link below, the Allstate Foundation will donate $1 to the Assistance Fund.
Click here to help!

Cell Phone Records Available For Sale Spells Danger for Domestic Violence Victims

Reports of websites that sell records of cell phone calls have been in the press for months, prompting action this week by lawmakers and the Federal Communications Commission. While many have heard about this situation, you may not have considered how this may impact victims of domestic violence or stalking.

Numerous websites have been advertising that they can provide records of incoming and outgoing cell phone calls--for less than $100, in some cases. That kind of information is often used by law enforcement agencies in their investigations. However, stalkers or abusive spouses could exploit the online availability of such data. In addition, some of these brokers will provide information locating those phone calls within 500 – 1000 feet. In cases of victims of domestic violence – this information could be deadly.

Employers that have domestic violence programs and are assisting employees should be aware of this situation when counseling employees about using wireless phones as part of safety planning. Using wireless phones for 911 calls is life-saving, but it is important to caution domestic violence victims regarding the potential for their wireless phone records and phone call locations to be tracked.

Verizon Wireless and Cingular Wireless have both requested court orders against data brokers accused of obtaining the records through fraud. In addition, Verizon Wireless Call Center team members go through special training to detect such fraud. The Federal Communications Commission's enforcement bureau this week also said it's looking into companies that obtain telephone records without the customer's approval or knowledge. In addition, lawmakers on federal and state levels are introducing legislation to criminalize such activity, and several states are launching investigations into how the companies have obtained the records.

In the meantime, use caution.

New Wisconsin Law Defines Predominant Aggressor

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle signed a new law January 5th intended to prevent the arrest of victims of domestic violence. The law, which is expected to go into effect April 1, directs police to arrest the predominant aggressor in a dispute, not someone who has lashed out in self-defense. It fine tunes an act that took effect in April 1989 that made an arrest mandatory in domestic violence cases.

Patti Seger, executive director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said the bill would help prevent victims from being arrested unjustly. "The impact of the arrest alone is stunning," she said. "There's a financial cost, but there's a huge psychological, emotional toll that that takes on a victim."

The new law replaces the term "primary aggressor" with "predominant aggressor" to identify the most significant attacker, not just who hit first. It also urges officers not to arrest anyone else in a dispute and hold the suspect until the person posts bail or appears before a judge.

Sen. Ron Brown, R-Eau Claire, who cosponsored the bill, said the law will likely help police determine who should be arrested. According to the latest state Justice Department data available, nearly 4 percent, or 641 incidents, resulted in multiple arrests or charges in 17,827 domestic disputes across the state of Wisconsin in 2003.

The law also sets out more criteria for police to consider when determining who to arrest, including:

- the history of domestic abuse between the parties,
- witness statements,
- the relative degree of injury to the parties,
- the extent to which a party appears to fear another,
- whether someone is making threats about future harm,
- whether someone acted to defend himself or herself or another

The bill is AB 436.

VAWA Reauthorization Includes National Resource Center on Workplace Responses to Assist Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence

On January 5, President Bush signed into law H.R. 3402, the Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act, which includes re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Information about H.R. 3402 is available at http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=58906&Link=http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdfs/DOJauthHousepass121705.pdf .

The VAWA re-authorization includes a national resource center on workplace responses to assist victims of domestic and sexual violence. What does this mean? The legislation indicates that: “The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, may award a grant to an eligible nonprofit nongovernmental entity or tribal organization, in order to provide for the establishment and operation of a national resource center on workplace responses to assist victims of domestic and sexual violence.” The resource center would provide information and assistance to employers and labor organizations to aid in their efforts to develop and implement responses to such violence.

Many Doctors Do Not Document Domestic Violence

Nearly a third of U.S. doctors surveyed in a recent poll said they don't keep a record when their patients report domestic violence, and 90 percent don't document domestic violence adequately, new research shows. Those inadequate doctors' reports also don't record whether the doctors offered support and information about domestic violence to patients who might have needed that type of assistance.

Reporting in the November 20 issue of the journal BMC Family Practice, researchers led by Megan Gerber of Harvard Medical School analyzed doctors' reports on 90 patients, all victims of domestic violence.

In 26 of those 90 cases, the doctor's report did not document that the patient had mentioned an incident of domestic violence, the researchers found. Only 10 percent of the doctors' reports recorded that the physician offered some information to patients about where to get help for domestic violence and assisted patients in developing a list of steps to remove themselves from the situation. A third of doctors surveyed said they didn't feel confident in counseling patients who reported domestic violence.

World Health Organization Finds Intimate Partner Violence Most Common Form of Violence in Women's Lives

The first-ever World Health Organization (WHO) study on domestic violence reveals that intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence in women’s lives - much more so than assault or rape by strangers or acquaintances. The study reports on the enormous toll physical and sexual violence by husbands and partners has on the health and well-being of women around the world and the extent to which partner violence is still largely hidden.

The study (which found that one in six women are victims of intimate partner violence) is based on interviews with more than 24 000 women from rural and urban areas in 10 countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Namibia, Peru, Samoa, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand, and the United Republic of Tanzania. The study's authors found one-quarter to one-half of all women who had been physically assaulted by their partners said they had suffered physical injuries. Abused women were twice as likely as non-abused women to have poor health and physical and mental problems such as pain or suicidal thoughts or attempts. At least 20 per cent of women who reported physical violence in the study never told anyone before they were interviewed. The report recommends changes to attitudes that perpetuate abuse. Recommendations include:

-Integrating violence prevention into health programs.
-Training health workers and police to identify and respond.
-Ensuring schools are safe places.
-Strengthening support systems for victims.