A new report from the Partnership for Prevention in Washington found that 75 percent of victims of domestic violence are targeted at work, with everything from harassing phone calls, to the abusive spouse showing up at the office, unannounced. Some victims are even physically assaulted on the job.
This abuse costs companies an estimated $3 billion to $5 billion a year in employee turnover, absenteeism and low productivity.
To help fight the problem, here are some tips from the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence:
 Encourage him/her to save threatening e-mails or voice mails. These can potentially be used for future legal action, or can serve as evidence that an existing restraining order was violated.
Make arrangements for the victim to have priority parking near the building. Have calls screened, transferring harassing calls to security or have his/her name removed from automated phone directories.
Relocate the victim's workspace to a more secure area or another site.
Obtain a restraining order that includes the workplace and keep a copy on hand at all times. The victim may want to consider providing a copy to the police, his/her supervisor, security or human resources.
Provide a picture of the perpetrator to reception areas and/or security.
Identify an emergency contact person should the employer be unable to contact the victim.
Ask security to escort the employee to and from a vehicle or public transportation.
Have employee paychecks delivered to another location.
Make sure the employee knows the company police on violence in the workplace, and how to report any incident. Make certain the employee knows specifics of the policy: Does it include threats over the telephone? Non-employees as well as employees? A specific telephone number to call?
Most important, ask the victim what changes could be made to make him/her feel safer, and remember the victim knows the perpetrator better than anyone else.
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