Memphis Will Host A Conference For Businesses Addressing Domestic Violence

Many organizations around the world, that advocate against domestic violence are preparing for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, next month.

The city of Memphis is preparing , by hosting a bystander intervention conference designed to help its local employers, 'recognize, respond, and refer', when domestic violence affects employees or colleagues. The event will also help equip employers to develop policies and share resources to reduce risk and protect the workplace.

Memphis Area Women's Council and the Memhis Employers Alliance Against Domestic Violence are organizing "Violence at Home. Victims at Work.'' conference that will be held at a Baptist Memorial Health Care conference center, October 20th, 2016.

'The Memphis Area Women Council's President, Dr. Carol Danehower, explained ,"Our community has seen repeated episodes of a woman being murdered at her workplace by a current or former husband or boyfriend. This has happened at a day care center, a hospital, a grocery store, a department store and an office complex – often in the parking lot,”

The alliance seeks to help employers deal with domestic violence among employees and colleagues and to create a safer and more profitable work environment.

Danehower who is also the associate professor of management in the Fogelman College of Business & Economics at the University of Memphis also warns people that “It is apparent that the majority of women murdered by their intimate partners are employees, so it follows that their workplace could have become aware of their distress and connected them to community support and services.”

Panelists who will participate at the conference will work to cover risk and liabilities, security, workplace policies and employers’ responses and local resources including orders of protection.

Local crime data show that domestic-violence homicides have comprised 12 to 17 percent of all homicides in Memphis the past two years, according to conference organizers.

Some of the alliance founders include Verizon Wireless, Crown Manufacturing, the airport authority, Baptist Memorial Health Care and Methodist Healthcare Faith and Health Division.

Sources:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/crime/Another--394971631.html