October is national domestic violence awareness month; a time that aides in bringing awareness to an issue that is often not talked about and where many of its victims suffer in silence. While many think of domestic violence, or partner violence, as it is also referred to, as an issue that only effects one at home, behind closed doors, it goes way beyond that—it reaches one’s workplace. STANDING FIRM: The Business Case to End Partner Violence, is making strides in its efforts to help companies not only take a “stand” by bringing awareness to the issue, but also addressing it.
On Oct. 22, approximately 375 individuals joined the organization in its celebration of companies and individuals who have gone above and beyond, and made it their responsibility to address domestic at their workplace at the 3rd annual Stand Up for STANDING FIRM Awards Luncheon held at the Omni William Penn in downtown Pittsburgh.
“We have been getting such positive comments. We were thrilled with the outcome of the luncheon. We had so many attendees, we thought there was so much energy in the room and we felt that all of the speakers spoke very well to the issue of why employers should pay attention to partner violence,” said Susan Nitzberg, associate director of Outreach for STANDING FIRM. “We believe everybody has a role to play in ending this societal issue. We cannot afford to be bystanders anymore, whether individually or organizationally. Equally we think it’s the right thing to do.”
Since it began in 2009, STANDING FIRM’s mission has been to use best practices training and principles to alert employers to the financial, safety and human costs of partner violence on the workplace and workforce, along with equipping them with the tools for taking an effective action through their on-site and web-based training, and consultation services.
STANDING FIRM director
The nonprofit organization encourages employers to recognize the affects partner violence has on the company’s bottom line; respond effectively by taking action; and refer victims as well as perpetrators to the community resources available to help them.
Patricia Cluss, PhD, director of STANDING FIRM said during her luncheon remarks, “Partner Violence is everybody’s business. It’s his business, it’s her business, it’s my business and, as I’m sure you all know, it’s your business too. Partner violence isn’t something that stays at home and happens in families, it comes to work—whether it’s the victim who misses work because of medical appointments or an abuser who is just too distracted from a fight he had with his girlfriend the night before to perform his job well and safely.”
According to the organization’s information, partner violence costs businesses $6 billion in annual health-related expenses, more that $700 million in lost productivity and is responsible for 25 percent of workplace violence incidents.
Today, according to Cluss, STANDING FIRM has approximately 300 employer members, representing about 400,000 employees in the southwestern Pennsylvania region.
Keynote speaker
“We lead from a business standpoint and (believe) that domestic violence can actually be ended best that way; because the way to impact people’s lives is through where they spend 80 percent of their day, which is at work,” said Tamiko Stanley, a STANDING FIRM board member and luncheon host committee member. “We feel if they attach it to work policies, even into work evaluations, that people will actually see how important it is… Most companies want to do the right thing it’s just a lot of them lack the ability, the knowledge and the resources to do it, so STANDING FIRM helps with all of that.”
The luncheon, which was emceed by Bill Flanagan, chief corporate relations officer of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, honored the Pittsburgh Technology Council with the Employer Award and Kristy Trautmann, executive directors of the FISA Foundation with the Champion Award for their works in addressing the issue.
Along with the awards, the highlight of the afternoon was the keynote address by attorney and advocate for victims of domestic violence, Joshua Safran. He is also the author of “FREE SPIRIT: Growing Up On the Road and Off the Grid,” a memoir detailing his life as a child of a domestic violence victim and how he and his mother became survivors.
During his speech, Safran spoke of his experiences of watching his mother being abused by his stepfather, how they got away, and how they mended their relationship years later. He also touched on the importance of employers having a domestic violence policy, implementing it correctly and training its employees, but most importantly, having an environment where people feel free to talk about the subject. His discussion was followed by a Question & Answer session.
Deeming the luncheon a success, Stanley said the organization is now focused on building its corporate partnerships, product development to become a self sustaining organization that does not have to rely on “the graciousness of grantors” as well as looking at what can be done from a proactive standpoint, to ensure that domestic violence doesn’t affect generations ahead.
Morgan O’Brien, CEO of Peoples Gas, a corporate sponsor, as well as chairman of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and event co-chair, said, “As community leaders, as business leaders and as people who live in the community, we all have a responsibility of not only recognizing this is real, but also engaging and stopping it.”
Major sponsors of the event were UPMC Health Plan, FedEx Ground, the Pittsburgh Pirates, The Heinz Endowments and PittOhio, as well as a host of others.
(For more information on STANDING FIRM and its services, visit www.standingfirmswpa.org.)
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