Domestic Abuse: Partners EAP Services for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Abuse

When You Need Support - How can EAP help?

If you are currently experiencing or have experienced abuse in an intimate relationship, support is available.  The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free, confidential services to both victims and survivors of domestic abuse.  The EAP is committed to helping employees and their household members feel safe – in their homes, communities and workplaces. 

What is Domestic Abuse?

Domestic abuse is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors including physical and/or emotional attacks that are meant to gain power and control over one’s partner. These behaviors are exhibited by both adolescents and adults and are used against their intimate partner.  There are many different kinds of abusive behavior: physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, economic/financial and spiritual as well as threats, stalking/surveillance, isolation and intimidation.

Who is Affected?

Domestic abuse affects us all.  Many of us have experienced or know someone who has experienced domestic abuse.  It occurs in heterosexual and same-sex relationships. Domestic abuse affects people from all socio-economic, racial/ethnic, and religious groups.

Domestic abuse, also called intimate partner violence (IPV), is primarily a crime against women. In 2001, women accounted for 85 percent of the victims of intimate partner violence (588,490 total) and men accounted for approximately 15 percent of the victims (103,220 total). U.S. Dept. of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. February 2003. Intimate Partner Violence, 1993–2001. NCJ 197838, p. 1.

The costs of domestic abuse against women exceed an estimated $5.8 billion. These costs include nearly $4.1 billion in the direct costs of medical and mental health care and nearly $1.8 billion in the indirect costs of lost productivity (CDC 2003). National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003.

Victims of domestic abuse lose a total of nearly 8 million days of paid work—the equivalent of more than 32,000 full-time jobs—and nearly 5.6 million days of household productivity each year as a result of abuse (CDC 2003). National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003.

Services for Employees

The EAP consultants, including the Domestic Violence Specialist, are available to provide a variety of services to employees affected by domestic abuse, including:

• Advocacy and counseling
• Safety planning for home and work
• Referrals to community resources
• Support groups
• Advocacy in the workplace
• Coordination with HAVEN at MGH, Passageway at BWH, Domest Violence/Sexual Assault Program at NWH, Security and other internal resources when appropriate.

The EAP is also committed to supporting the hospitals in their response to the needs of employees affected by domestic abuse through:

• Training and education
• Consultation with supervisors, managers, Human Resource generalists, etc.
• Workgroup interventions

In addition, the EAP works in conjunction with the hospitals’ Security Departments, with the employee’s permission, to plan for the safety of the workgroup when incidents of domestic abuse affect the workplace.

Does Your Partner Ever...?

• Scare you in any way?
• Call you names?
• Repeatedly make you late for or miss work?
• Force you to have sex?
• Not allow you to visit your friends or family?
• Threaten to take away or hurt your children?
• Check-up on you while you’re at work?
• Hit, slap, push or hurt you?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, or if you are worried about someone close to you who may be experiencing abuse, we can help.

How to Reach Us…

To make an appointment with an EAP Consultant, call us between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at 1-866-724-4EAP.

The following articles can help with further information on domestic abuse:

Are You Worried Someone Is Being Abused?

DV Facts

Domestic Abuse Resources

Emergency Shelters for Women

Sexual Assault Resources

Stalking Resources

What Parents Need to Know

Why Do Women Stay?

LGBT Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Resources

Abuse in Later Life 

For more information or to discuss domestic abuse concerns please contact Partners Employee Assistance Program at 1-866-724-4EAP.

Or Call Safelink: a 24 hour Hotline for Information and Referral Call 1-877-785-2020

If you need Immediate Assistance, dial the police at 911