Helping the Victims of Domestic Violence
Helping the victims of domestic violence
By Guest Columnist February 26, 2010, 8:00AMBy Brad Avakian and Teri LorenzenThe string of brutal local deaths in November and December and several more this month have reminded all Oregonians of the very real costs of domestic violence.
The greatest tragedy is how prevalent domestic violence continues to be: Oregon's crisis service hotlines receive more than 50,000 emergency and 37,000 non-emergency calls from survivors of domestic violence every year. Raphael House of Portland and other community support services are stretched beyond capacity, leaving 20,000 requests for shelter services unmet.
Finding funding for and expanding support networks for survivors is essential. But supporting survivors and their children means much more than just providing shelter. Survivors also require counseling, job-skill training and advocacy as they re-enter the community. This transition can be difficult, especially as they look to re-enter the workplace.
Over the past several years, the Oregon Legislature has continued to look for other ways to assist survivors. One of the identified hardships: Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking too often suffer adverse consequences in the workplace as employers struggle to understand the needs of and accommodate these employees in crisis.
A team of researchers from Oregon Health & Sciences University and Johns Hopkins revealed that 69 percent of women in Oregon who report abuse are employed at the time of the abuse. This statistic reinforces the need for strong workplace protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. In Oregon, the protection of survivors' rights in the workplace is performed by the Bureau of Labor and Industries, the agency charged with enforcing employment and civil rights laws.
Senate Bill 928, passed in the last legislative session, went into effect on Jan. 1. This law increases workplace protections by prohibiting employment discrimination against survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. More importantly, the law requires employers to make reasonable safety accommodations for employees in need of such protection, unless the accommodation would cause an undue hardship for the business.
This legislation builds on protections created in 2007 that require employers to provide unpaid leave to an employee for the purposes of seeking law enforcement services, legal or medical assistance for themselves or their family, counseling services, or to recover from injuries resulting from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
Oregon's Civil Rights Division, part of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, investigates approximately 2,200 charges of unlawful discrimination each year, including violations of the Crime Victims Leave law of 2007. Employees and employers who have questions about the new survivor protection law are encouraged to contact the bureau. The Civil Rights Division staff (971-673-0764) is available to help employees understand their rights and how to file a complaint, while the Technical Assistance for Employers Program (971-673-0824) can help employers understand how to support their employees and comply with the new law's provisions.
And if you or someone you know is in need of assistance for domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, call 503-222-6222 in Portland or 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) nationwide to find out more about the assistance and shelter programs in your area.
Brad Avakian is Oregon labor commissioner. Teri Lorenzen is executive director of Raphael House of Portland.
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