Column: Businesses tackle domestic violence

The pandemic has brought increasing incidents of partner violence globally and nationally as stress levels heightened in the past year. Hawaii, our island home, was not immune. The fear and pain of physical and emotional abuse is all too real and yet often hidden, to a very large extent in Hawaii, as elsewhere. Intimate partner violence (IPV) cuts across all economic, educational, racial and lifestyle backgrounds.

The consequences of this violence impacts both community programs as well as our workplaces. IPV cost U.S. business an estimated $3-$5 billion — funds that could otherwise be deployed to provide jobs and training. Of the 24% of full-time employed adults who are victims of domestic violence, 7% report they have been harassed at work; 116 or 12% of every 1,000 female employees are victims.

IPV in the workplace adds significant costs, increases legal liability and creates adverse and disruptive effects which extend beyond places of work and can affect customers. Some 37% of women victims experience negative impacts of work performance, job retention and career promotions. In fact, an average of 13,000 acts of violence are committed against women at work each year. These occurrences affect victims’ abilities to care for themselves, and can ultimately lead to adverse effects impacting the financial strength of organizations and our broader island community.

2021 marks the 30th anniversary of Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC). The center’s commitment to addressing domestic violence and other forms of harm through leadership, unique services, legal representation, survival and system advocacy, community education and social change work should be embraced by each of us. In 2020 alone, DVAC received over 4,000 calls for assistance and opened nearly 2,000 cases involving victims from every county across the state.

No excuses. Our community needs to generate affirmative action and investment to stop the violence. We must offer support, listen, and respect the survivor. Domestic violence is not something that the victim “just needs to get over” and it is not easy to “just leave” or “just tell someone.” The answer, like the problem, is multifaceted.

Business organizations can play a pivotal role in providing education and training programs. Employers can also address issues through procedures, provide flexibility with time-off policies and health care benefits, and even by working with workplace security personnel. Spotlighting community programs and resources such as DVAC’s hotline 531-3771 also helps to bring important information front and center for employees.

At Bank of Hawaii, we are cultivating an environment and culture where all employees can do their best work and thrive. The launch in 2020 of our Women Inspired Employee Resource Group builds on the bank’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workforce. “Women Inspired” continues to providing resources and opportunities for women to come together, to learn, to provide and receive support and to advance employee well-being.

How can you become engaged and inspire? If you need help or know someone who does, call DVAC’s helpline 531-3771 or text 605-956-5680 or go to domesticviolenceactioncenter.org. Everyone deserves to be safe.

Cori C. Weston is senior vice president with Kalai Services Group of The Private Bank, Bank of Hawaii.

To mark this year’s 30th anniversary of the Domestic Violence Action Center, the Star-Advertiser will run a column each month this year to highlight aspects of the problem of domestic abuse. Authors will be from DVAC’s Council of Allies, formed to raise awareness about this communitywide issue.