NOVATO, California—On November 25, Soroptimist International of Novato will “paper the town purple”—the color associated with domestic violence—as they join with Soroptimists all over the world to distribute purple cards with domestic abuse prevention information to local businesses, in women’s restrooms and if possible, in employee paychecks. As an organization of working women whose mission is to improve the lives of women and girls, Soroptimist specifically targets the workplace, where several domestic violence victims are found each day.
The Soroptimist Workplace Campaign to End Domestic Violence coincides with the United Nations-designated International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women. Last year, more than 400 Soroptimist clubs participated.
“Many women cannot escape domestic violence when they go to work,” said Pauline Stuber, Soroptimist International of Novato president. “It follows them in the form of harassing phone calls and emails, or their abuser shows up at their place of business. Lateness, absenteeism, and lowered productivity in the workplace can result from domestic violence.”
According to a World Bank study, one in five work days lost for health reasons by women is the result of domestic violence. In the U.S., 96 percent of employed battered women experience problems at work due to domestic violence. There are 13,000 acts of violence against women at work each year by their partners. Homicide is the leading cause of on-the¬-job death for women, with some 20 percent of these women killed by their spouses or partners.
“The workplace is the ideal place to help women facing domestic violence because it’s where these women spend at least eight hours a day away from their abusers,” said Stuber, a project manager with the civil engineering company of CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering Group.
Domestic violence also causes entire countries’ economies to suffer, and millions of dollars in health care, law enforcement and court costs can be lost. The Inter-American Development Bank found that the cost of domestic violence causes Canada to loose $1.6 billion per year. Researchers in the U.S. found that economic losses sustained as a result of domestic violence range from $10 billion to $67 billion per year.
“As business and professional women, Soroptimists feel uniquely qualified to tackle this issue,” Stuber said. “By distributing these cards, we are taking the first step in creating awareness of this important issue.”
Founded in 1973, Soroptimist International of Novato members join with almost 95,000 Soroptimists in about 120 countries and territories to contribute time and financial support to community-based projects benefiting women. In addition to participating in the Soroptimist Workplace Campaign to End Domestic Violence, the Anytown club participates in Soroptimist International of the Americas’ major service project, the Women’s Opportunity Awards program—cash grants for women seeking to improve their economic situation through additional training and/or education. Many of these women are domestic abuse survivors. For more information about how Soroptimist International of Novato improves the lives of women and girls, call Pauline Stuber at (415) 884-6454, or visit the club’s website at http://www.soropnovato.org.
