Working for Change: Empowering Employees and Employers to “Recognize, Respond, and Refer” for Intimate Partner Abuse

Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated intimate partner abuse (IPA) costs more than $700 million in lost work productivity annually. However, research evaluating employers' reactions to signs of violence within the workplace continues to indicate a general lack of understanding of how to assist victims/survivors. Recognizing the need to empower employers and employees with knowledge regarding IPA to promote action, this study evaluated whether prevention programming specifically designed for this population improved understanding of the dynamics of abuse. The pre- and posttest data utilized in this study were obtained from Harbor House of Central Florida's Recognize, Respond, and Refer trainings.

KEYWORDS:

• human resources
• intimate partner abuse
• primary prevention
• workplace violence

Notes

^a Name changed to protect confidentiality.

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.

*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.

McNemar's test requires two binary outcomes and can be used on matched pairs to specifically evaluate pretest and posttest data to assess intervention success/failure.