Many people are affected by domestic violence everyday. However, it often goes unnoticed because people are either too afraid to say anything, or the victim chooses to hide it. In partnership with Cosmopolitan.com and NoMore.org, we want to give you tips on how to help those around you who may be dealing with this situation. Whether it’s a coworker or boss, here are tips on noticing if someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, as well as ways you may be able to help. Remember this is a very sensitive and serious subject that should not be taken lightly.
When Violence Happens: AT WORK Whether you know it or not, one of your coworkers is probably threatened by relationship violence. Homicide is the second leading cause of death for women at work—and the vast majority of those murders are at the hands of an ex. "Even if the abuser doesn't know where his ex lives, he knows where she works," notes Pam Paziotopoulos, a corporate consultant on workplace violence. The good news is, companies are realizing that "private" violence is a public-health crisis. "The most dangerous situation is thinking, “It can't happen here," says Kim Wells, executive director of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, which helps companies tackle the issue. "People in any workplace, big or small, can help prevent it." IF YOU'RE THE TARGET "In a perfect world, a victim can tell her employer she needs help," Wells says. In the real world, this takes tremendous courage. If you can take the first, difficult step of admitting the problem, these steps come next. 1. Ask yourself, can I approach my boss and not lose my job? See if your company has a workplace policy online or in its handbook. If there's no policy and you're worried you won't be supported, call the national hotline at 800-799-SAFE. 2. If you feel comfortable, let your employer know if you have a protective order… IF YOU'RE THE BOSS The most important thing is to create an environment where victims know they won't be ostracized or fired if they come forward. Having a domestic-violence policy helps do that, and in some states, it's the law. Start here. 1. If you are a small business, invite a local domestic-violence service provider to come talk to your employees. "This sends a message that domestic violence is an issue you're committed to addressing," Raghu says. 2. Hang posters in the bathroom or on the bulletin board that say domestic violence will not be tolerated. As Wells notes, "If victims are working for you, that means batterers are too…" IF YOU'RE A COWORKER Cubemates are often the first ones to notice the abuse, but that does not mean you need to get deeply involved. In fact, Paziotopoulos says, you shouldn't—it's straight-up dangerous. Follow this advice instead.
This article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan.com. To read the full article, visit this link, and for more information on Domestic Violence and how you can help, visit NoMore.org.
0 Comments
This week, we had the privilege to help and get to know some very special people at Safe Horizon, the largest victims’ services agency in the United States. Safe Horizon touches the lives of more than 250,000 children, adults, and families affected by crime and abuse throughout New York City each year. We did not come empty-handed, serving over 100 of our ‘it's not delivery, it's DiGiorno’ pizzas. We sat with people as they enjoyed their pizza, and heard dozens of stories from those who currently live at Safe Horizon. We will do anything to brighten up someone’s day! For more photos from this event, check out our Instagram @DiGiorno_Pizza.
We recently joined in on the conversation with Cosmopolitan.com and many of their readers on the discussion of domestic violence. Realizing that there are many factors that play into why women choose to stay in these situations we joined in the discussion to point out the misconceptions that exist, and help understand why this is such a complex situation. Read the article below:
14 Misconceptions About Domestic Violence: After a video surfaced of football player Ray Rice punching out his then-fiancée Janay in an elevator, domestic violence has been at the forefront of the national conversation. When the couple married, many asked, "Why would she stay with him?" Twitter answered back with #WhyIStayed and #WhyILeft, in which survivors shared their stories of why they remained in abusive relationships and why they eventually got out. Yet misconceptions persist — that abuse is a private matter, that women who stay in abusive relationships are simply weak-willed, that women are just as abusive as men. Cosmopolitan.com talked to the experts to clear up some of the most stubborn, and most dangerous, myths about intimate partner violence. 1. Domestic violence is unusual. 2. It's impossible to love someone who abuses you. 3. Domestic violence happens when someone flies out of control. 4. Domestic violence is always physical 5. If someone abuses you, it's an obvious decision to leave the relationship. 6. There's no good reason for a victim not to call the police. 7. Both parties usually hold some responsibility in domestic violence situations. 8. Women abuse men just as often as men abuse women. 9. Men are never victims of abuse, and women never perpetrators. 10. Domestic violence only happens to women who are poor or dependent or uneducated. 11. Drugs and alcohol cause domestic violence. 12. People who commit intimate partner violence are violent in most of their relationships. 13. You can rescue a friend from domestic violence. 14. Tough love is the best way to help a victim of violence. This article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan.com. To read the full article, visit this link, and for more information on Domestic Violence and how you can help, visit NoMore.org. Help us raise awareness for domestic violence on social media! We will be promoting a few hashtags on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram throughout the month of October. We invite you to use/retweet and repost these hashtags this month to raise awareness and funds for domestic violence:
#DiGiornoDollars – For every tweet/Facebook post/Instagram that uses the hashtag #DiGiornoDollars, DiGiorno will donate $0.50 to the NO MORE Domestic Violence Foundation. #WhyICare – Tweet or post a status with a fact about domestic violence or helpful suggestions as to how to deal with domestic violence and you will be entered in a raffle to win FREE DiGiorno Pizza for 1 month! Please go connect with us on our other social media portals! Facebook: www.facebook.com/digiornopizza Twitter: @DiGiorno_Pizza Instagram: @DiGiorno_Pizza Be sure to continuously check our social media pages and blog site for any additional hashtags or promotions we may be running! Dear DiGiorno Customers,
In recent news, the DiGiorno family made an insensitive tweet that involved domestic violence and for this we deeply apologize. Our mistake was an unfortunate accident, but we don’t want to leave it at that, we want to make a difference. We would like to get all of our DiGiorno customers involved in our journey to help bring domestic violence to an end. In regards to the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness month, DiGiorno has released specialty boxes for some of your favorite DiGiorno recipes. Look in your local grocery stores for specially marked packaging with the purple ribbon to see how you can help support the end of domestic violence. Fifteen percent of the proceeds from each purchase will be donated the No More Foundation. To learn more about the organization and ways to give back, visit their website: http://nomore.org/. Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including threats or use of violence. Know the facts: · 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience violence from their partners in their lifetimes · 1 in 3 teens experience sexual or physical abuse or threats from a boyfriend or girlfriend in one year · 1 in 5 women are survivors of rape · 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lives · 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men were sexually abused before the age of 18 Here are some signs you can learn to recognize in case there is someone in need of help or support: · Exerting strict control (financial, social and/or appearance) · Needing constant contact including excessive texts and calls · Insulting a partner in front of other people · Extreme jealousy · Showing fear around a partner · Isolation from family and friends · Frequent canceling of plans at the last minute · Unexplained injuries or explanations that don’t quite add up We here at DiGiorno are extremely grateful for your continued support and we hope that you will help us on this journey to help those in need and end domestic violence. |