White Ribbon Day
November 25, 2005Much to my surprise, I was informed that today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. I realise some people will sneer and complain that there are far too many of these types of days, and then completely ignore them.
If you want to ignore the horrific impact that domestic violence has on both women and children - fine, shame on you. But it’s virtually impossible for any responsible business to ignore the impact that domestic violence has on its productivity.
The statistics show that as many as one in five women at some stage in life falls victim to what is variously described as family violence or intimate partner violence.
The cost to employers is growing year by year, and stands at nearly $500 million in lost production and nearly as much again in lost economic efficiency, according to policy researchers Access Economics.
One in five is far too high a statistic for such a terrible crime that affects so many people.
PS. I tried pinning that white ribbion to my label, but I couldn’t remove the pin properly. Bugger.
