Occupational Health & Safety Council of Ontario (OHSCO)

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERIES

Domestic Violence Doesn’t Stop

When Your Worker Arrives at Work:

What Employers Need

to Know to Help
 What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviour used by one person to gain power and control
over another with whom he/she has or has had an intimate relationship. This pattern of
behaviour may include physical violence, sexual, emotional and psychological intimidation,
verbal abuse, stalking and using electronic devices to harass and control.
As of June 15, 2010, the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (the Act) defines
workplace violence as the exercise, attempted exercise, or threat to exercise physical force
against a worker in a workplace that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker.
Under the Act, inappropriate behaviour in the workplace that does not risk a worker’s physical
well-being may also be considered workplace harassment.
Domestic violence becomes workplace violence or harassment when it occurs or spills over
into the workplace. It is also known as Personal Relationship Violence, Intimate Partner
Violence, Woman Abuse or Family Violence. The term domestic violence is most widely used
in Ontario and Canada. Often, employers do not see domestic violence as a workplace hazard.
But it negatively affects the victim, co-workers and the organization. Employers and workers
often believe that domestic violence is a personal issue, and that workplace parties can do
nothing about it. This makes it even harder for a victim to ask for help.

Domestic violence can occur between:

• current or former intimate partners;
• adults or adolescents;
• people of all racial, economic, educational and religious backgrounds;
• people in heterosexual and same-sex relationships who are:
– living together or separately,
– married or unmarried,
– in short- or long-term relationships.
While men can be victims of domestic violence, women are the overwhelming majority
of such victims.

Note: Research relating to domestic violence warning signs and risk factors
has focused on abusers who are male and victims who are female. It is not
known whether the same warning signs would apply in situations where
the abuser is female and the victim is male, or where the abuser and victim
are the same sex.

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 Why do employers need to be involved?
Today’s leading companies understand that workers’ personal safety and well-being benefit
workers, employers and a company’s bottom line.
Amendments to Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act will require employers who
are aware, or who should reasonably be aware, that domestic violence may occur in the
workplace to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect a worker
at risk of physical injury. Employers will also be required to have policies and programs
regarding workplace violence, including domestic violence in the workplace.
In addition to having to respond to specific incidents or requests for precautions to be put
in place, it is in the best interests of employers to be able to recognize the signs of domestic
violence, assess the potential risk to the victim, co-workers and other bystanders, and have
measures and procedures in place to control risks.
Helping workers feel safe by addressing their personal safety issues and connecting them
to appropriate community resources can contribute to a healthier, more productive workforce.
It can also prevent serious injuries and fatalities.

The effects of domestic violence in the workplace

can include:
• reduced employee productivity; • strained relations among co-workers;
• increased absenteeism; • potential harm to employees, co-
• replacement, recruitment and training workers and/or customers when
costs when victims are injured or violent abusers enter the workplace;
dismissed for poor performance; and
• higher company health expenses; • liability costs if someone at the
• decreased employee morale; workplace is harmed.

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How prevalent is domestic violence?
“Domestic violence in the workplace has been identified as the fastest growing type of
workplace violence in Canada." (Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters 2008)
One in five homicides in Canada involves the killing of an intimate partner. (Johnson, H. and
T. Hotton. 2003. “Losing Control: Homicide risk in estranged and intact intimate relationships.”
Homicide Studies)
Between 2002 and 2007, Ontario reviewed 230 domestic violence-related deaths involving
142 women, 23 children and 65 men. Women were the victims most of the time and men
were the perpetrators. The majority of male deaths were perpetrator suicides. (Annual Report
of the Ontario Coroner’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee, 2008)
Research suggests that 70 per cent of domestic violence victims are also abused at work
at some point. This therefore becomes an issue in almost every organization. (Swanberg, J.
& Logan, T.K., (2005) Domestic Violence and Employment: A Qualitative Study. Journal of
Occupational Health Psychology. 10(1), 3.)
Fifty-four per cent of domestic violence victims miss three or more days of work a month.
(Zachary, M 2000, Labor Law for Supervisors: Domestic Violence as a Workplace Issue,
Supervision, vol. 61, no. 4, 23-26.)

The social costs of violence against women – including healthcare for victims,
criminal justice, social services and lost productivity – are estimated in the
billions of dollars. However, the psychological impacts on victims, their
families and friends cannot be measured in dollars. (Statistics Canada.
Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006.)

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 What are the signs of high risk?
Employers need to be aware of factors that increase a victim’s risk of harm or murder.
They should take threats and early warning signs seriously and act upon them immediately.
Through its years of investigative work, the Ontario Domestic Violence Death Review
Committee has identified key risks of potential murder. These include:

The danger may be greater if the:

Abuser Victim
• Has access to her and her children. • Has just separated or is planning
• Has access to weapons. to leave.
• Has a history of abuse with her or others. • Fears for her own life and for her
• Has threatened to harm or kill her if she children’s safety.
leaves him, saying things like, "If I can't • Is in a custody battle, or has children from
have you, no one will." a previous relationship.
• Threatens to harm her children, her pets • Is involved in another relationship.
or her property. • Is hiding injuries.
• Has threatened suicide. • Has no access to a phone outside work.
• Has hit and/or choked her. • Faces other obstacles (e.g. does not speak
• Is going through major life changes the language, is not yet a legal resident of
(e.g. job, separation, depression). Canada, lives in a remote area, etc.).
• Is convinced she is seeing someone else. • Does not have family or friends
• Blames her for ruining his life. outside work.
• Doesn’t seek help for his behaviour.
• Watches her actions, listens to her
telephone conversations, reads her
emails and follows her.
• Has trouble keeping a job.
• Takes drugs or drinks every day.
• Has little or no respect for the law.

Many deaths related to domestic violence in Ontario occurred when the

relationship was ending or following separation. If one of your employees
has an abusive partner and has recently separated or is thinking about
separating, be alert to the increased risks.
Take stalking seriously. Stalking has been identified as one of the primary
risk factors for attempted and actual murder of female partners in intimate
relationships. Even if she has a restraining order, there is no guarantee that
the abuser will respect it. Take steps to ensure the victim’s safety if she is
being stalked, or a restraining order is breached.

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 How do you recognize domestic
violence in the workplace?
Some victims may not realize that the actions they are enduring are domestic violence.
Those around the victim and abuser may also not recognize the signs. The list below
provides some examples of abusive behaviour and the impact on the victim.

Attempts to prevent the victim from getting

to work or looking for work, such as:
• Interfering with transportation by hiding or • Threatening deportation in a situation
stealing the victim’s car keys or transporta- where the victim was sponsored.
tion money. • Failing to show up to care for children.
• Hiding or stealing the victim’s • Physically restraining the victim.
identification cards.

The victim may:

• Try to cover bruises. • Make last-minute excuses/
• Be sad, lonely, withdrawn and afraid. cancellations.
• Have trouble concentrating on a task. • Use drugs or alcohol to cope.
• Apologize for the perpetrator’s behaviour. • Miss work frequently or more often
• Be nervous talking when the than usual.
perpetrator is there.

Interfering with the victim while at work by:

• Repeatedly phoning or emailing • Threatening co-workers (if you don’t
the victim. tell me, I’ll…).
• Stalking and/or watching the victim. • Verbally abusing the victim or co-workers.
• Showing up at the workplace and • Displaying jealous and controlling
pestering co-workers with questions behaviours.
about the victim (where is she, who • Destroying the victim’s or organization’s
she’s with, when will she be back, etc.). property.
• Lying to co-workers (she’s sick today, • Physically harming the victim and/
she’s out of town, she’s home with or co-workers.
a sick child, etc.).

The most common tactics are:

• repeated harassing phone calls
• in-person harassing at the workplace

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 What should you as an employer do?
All employers have a legal responsibility under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (the Act)
to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers from hazards, including
violence in the workplace. As of June 15, 2010, employers must also specifically take precautions
to protect workers from domestic violence that may occur in the workplace and is likely to expose
a worker to physical injury, where the employer is aware or should reasonably be aware.
As a leading practice, an employer can develop and implement a prevention program to help
protect workers from domestic violence in the workplace.

A prevention program should include:

• A clear statement that any violence, includ- • Regular supervisor and worker training
ing domestic violence, will not be tolerated and education about domestic violence
in the workplace and on the property. and resources available.
• To the extent possible, confidential need- • Steps employers will take once they are
to-know reporting methods for domestic aware of an incident, complaint or threat
violence situations (recognizing that, in of domestic violence to victims, and
certain situations, an employer may need accountability measures for the abusers
to provide some information to fulfill his if they work in the organization.
or her duty to protect workers). • Consideration for the victim’s safety at
the workplace. This includes developing
a workplace safety plan.
Once an employer is aware that domestic violence has occurred or could enter the workplace, the
employer should take steps to minimize that risk. Those steps will depend on the circumstances
of each situation. But an employer may take precautions to avert an incident or complaints of
domestic violence. These include:
• Develop a practical guide with strategies • Develop, implement and communicate a
to deal with abusers (both co-workers domestic violence policy and supporting
and visitors). program. Ensure it includes:
• Develop policies for paid time off, extended – emergency response,
leave of absence and workplace relocation – reporting procedures,
options for workers who experience domestic – police notification,
violence. – door security,
• Establish a company hotline for reporting – emergency contact numbers pre-
potential threatening situations, and programmed into communications
communicate this to all workers. devices,
• Develop and implement domestic violence – installation of desk or wall panic
prevention training for all managers and buttons, and
supervisors.
– code words to indicate a potential
• Ensure victims understand that confiden- situation.
tiality will, as much as possible, be
maintained on a need-to-know basis.

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 • Support victims of domestic violence. This may include developing and posting a
list of resources for victims in washrooms, staff rooms and on the company intranet.
• Offer Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services if applicable.
• Distribute information on community support networks.
• Accommodate alternative work arrangements, e.g. schedule flexibility, change
in start/finish time, transfer to different work location, etc.
• Establish leave provisions that allow the victim to deal with legal issues, find
housing, child care – and take time to heal.

Where to go for more help

Information on the prevention of domestic violence in the workplace is plentiful. The websites
listed below are good resources.
• www.NeighboursFriendsandFamilies.on.ca for information on how to help women at risk
of abuse, how to talk to men who are abusive and how to plan for safety.
• The Assaulted Women’s Helpline at 1-866-863-0511 and TTY 1-866-863-7868 offers
crisis support for abused women in Ontario. This anonymous and confidential service is
available in 154 languages. Service representatives discuss the warning signs of abuse
and give practical advice on items such as safety planning. They can also suggest other
community resources.
• The Safe @ Work Coalition: www.safeatworkcoalition.org
• Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence: www.caepv.org
• Ontario’s Health and Safety Associations
However, if you are concerned about a worker’s immediate safety, call the police.

This brochure was developed in partnership with the Ontario government, Ontario Women’s Directorate, and the
Occupational Health and Safety Council of Ontario, and with input from the Centre for Research and Education
on Violence Against Women and Children.

• Disponible en français February 2010

• Disponible en español Product # PH-BVIO0-E-020410-TOR-002
• Disponível no português
• 有簡体中文版
• 有繁體中文版