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Get the Facts

Why Gender-Based Violence is a Workplace Issue

Work is a huge part of our lives—we spend most of our waking hours at work. At the same time, millions of women face domestic and sexual violence and stalking each year. If we don’t deal with these issues in workplaces, we’re missing a major opportunity to help women move from victims to survivors and make workplaces safer for all.

1 in 4 women in the U.S. experience domestic violence.

Nearly 3 out of 4 survivors of domestic abuse cited economic insecurity as the main reason they stayed with their abuser.

In recent studies,

0%

of women in the restaurant industry

have experienced sexual harassment at work

In recent studies,

0%

of hotel workers

have experienced sexual harassment at work

In recent studies,

0%

of farmworkers

have experienced sexual harassment at work

Domestic violence costs

$8.3bil

a year in health and lost productivity

Domestic violence costs

7.9mil

a year
in paid workdays

19.3 million women in the U.S. have been stalked in their lifetime

More than 50 percent of stalking victims reported being stalked at work.

3x

Women who earn tips paired with a sub-minimum wage are 3 times more likely to be told by management to alter their appearance and to wear more revealing clothing in order to make more money

The scope of domestic and sexual violence in the U.S. is staggering, and its impact on workers is undeniable. In one study, 60 percent of the domestic violence survivors surveyed reported losing their jobs, and 96 percent reported their work performance suffered as a consequence of the abuse.

Low-wage workers face abuse in even greater numbers. These surveys were of specific industries and locations but show the epidemic low-wage women are facing. Women make up two-thirds of low-wage workers, and more than a quarter have experienced sexual harassment at work. Low-wage workers are far less likely to have the resources to report exploitation, harassment, or abuse.

These numbers come from a 2003 CDC estimate—the cost would be even greater if you calculated it in today’s dollars. For businesses, domestic and sexual violence translate into lost productivity, missed shifts, increased liability for businesses, and sometimes the loss of the greatest human resource – a life. These issues hurt a business’s bottom line, and it’s in an employer’s best interest to proactively address them.

One in seven women have been stalked by an intimate partner and believed they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed – this impacts their ability to find a job, keep a job, or advance in their job, all of which threatens their economic security and the well-being of their families.

Certain occupations, such as waitressing and other jobs that rely on tips to supplement income, can put women in vulnerable positions that force them to choose between workplace harassment or assault and earning enough to support themselves and their families.

1 in 4 women in the U.S. experience domestic violence.

Nearly 3 out of 4 survivors of domestic abuse cited economic insecurity as the main reason they stayed with their abuser.

The scope of domestic and sexual violence in the U.S. is staggering, and its impact on workers is undeniable. In one study, 60 percent of the domestic violence survivors surveyed reported losing their jobs, and 96 percent reported their work performance suffered as a consequence of the abuse.

In recent studies,

60%

of women in the restaurant industry

have experienced sexual harassment at work

In recent studies,

58%

of hotel workers

have experienced sexual harassment at work

In recent studies,

80%

of farmworkers

have experienced sexual harassment at work

Low-wage workers face abuse in even greater numbers. These surveys were of specific industries and locations but show the epidemic low-wage women are facing. Women make up two-thirds of low-wage workers, and more than a quarter have experienced sexual harassment at work. Low-wage workers are far less likely to have the resources to report exploitation, harassment, or abuse.

Domestic violence costs

$8.3bil

a year in health and lost productivity

Domestic violence costs

7.9mil

a year
in paid workdays

These numbers come from a 2003 CDC estimate—the cost would be even greater if you calculated it in today’s dollars. For businesses, domestic and sexual violence translate into lost productivity, missed shifts, increased liability for businesses, and sometimes the loss of the greatest human resource – a life. These issues hurt a business’s bottom line, and it’s in an employer’s best interest to proactively address them.

19.3 million women in the U.S. have been stalked in their lifetime

More than 50 percent of stalking victims reported being stalked at work.

One in seven women have been stalked by an intimate partner and believed they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed – this impacts their ability to find a job, keep a job, or advance in their job, all of which threatens their economic security and the well-being of their families.

3x

Women who earn tips paired with a sub-minimum wage are 3 times more likely to be told by management to alter their appearance and to wear more revealing clothing in order to make more money

Certain occupations, such as waitressing and other jobs that rely on tips to supplement income, can put women in vulnerable positions that force them to choose between workplace harassment or assault and earning enough to support themselves and their families.