Over 5,600 women and children found sanctuary in domestic violence shelters, with another 8,000 women alone being turned away because the shelters were full. Sponsors hope the conference will present crucial information, materials and resources for employers, unions, and family violence prevention advocates. The information presented is expected to include practical policy and program suggestions to reduce and prevent workplace violence and abuse, legal issues and liability for employers, and real-life scenarios. The intended audience are corporate and public sector CEO's, union officers, human resources managers, safety managers, non-profits, lawyers and law office personnel. One in four American women report that they have been physically abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives.
Men are also victims.
Women of all races are about equally vulnerable to violence by an intimate partner. The total health care costs of family violence are estimated in the hundreds of millions each year, much of which is paid for by employer-provided benefits. Batterers also may be less productive or miss work because of violence, incarceration, or legal proceedings.