Domestic Violence in the Workplace

Session 1

“Death Review Teams - Mining for Prevention Knowledge”

Primary Purpose

• To mine death data for key information that can lead to improving Prevention Actions

Members of Death Review Team

• Law Enforcement• Family Violence Unit• District Attorney’s

Office• County Coroner• Former Battered

Victim• Domestic Violence

Victims Groups

• Juvenile Probation• Pre-Trial Office• Batterers Programs

(private & public)• Diverse Community

representatives, e.g., racial, age, sexual preference, etc.

What the Team Does

• Review homicides case by case to understand the ‘arc’ of a story

• How did the victim and perpetrator meet?• What was the trajectory of their relationship?• How did all this culminate in homicide, suicide

or both?• Was prevention possible? What actions might

have helped prevent?

Common Characteristics

• Warning Signs for Divorced/Separated (43.8%) and Dating Relationships (26.9% of total homicides since 1993)– Perpetrator demonstrating warning signs which were ignored

(sleeplessness, loss of job, possessing guns, talking about dying, extremely upset about his or her life, excessive drinking or drug use, prior sexual assault, prior false imprisonment of victim)

– Perpetrator is extremely jealous, possessive and has sought treatment for mental health issues

– People close to victim knew something was very wrong in the relationship, but did not intervene

– Perpetrator could not handle victim talking about divorce or separation– Prior threats of homicide or suicide– Perpetrator had previous history of using violence with victim or

previous partner– Perpetrator engaged in stalking conduct

Common Characteristics

• Observable Behaviors by Co-workers– Perpetrator demonstrating warning signs which were

ignored (sleeplessness, loss of job, possessing guns, talking about dying, extremely upset about his or her life, excessive

drinking or drug use)• Handguns most common weapon used (53.1% of

overall incidents since 1993)

2002 Team Recommendations

• All workplaces need to invest in education of their workforces on domestic violence

• The Office of Mental Health needs to be closely tied into the effort

• Need to develop hotline for men contemplating an act of domestic violence or that need help in their interpersonal relationships

• Develop strategies to encourage Domestic Violence victims to get restraining orders

2002

Death

Review

Report

2002 Team Recommendations

• Need Council on Immigration Issues• Education for Community-at-Large to stand

up and report domestic violence when suspected or observed

• All local school districts develop a curriculum that addresses the issues of domestic violence and dating violence

2002

Death

Review

Report

Implications for Employers• Domestic Violence education for all workers is important

– Need to include education about encouraging Domestic Violence victims to get restraining orders and ‘how to’

• Better mental health support services, e.g., EAP, on-going service, etc., for victims and batterers need to be developed, communicated and utilized– Need to develop hotline for men contemplating an act of

domestic violence or that need help in their interpersonal relationships

• Employers need to support education for:– School districts developing a curriculum that addresses the

issues of domestic violence and dating violence– Community-at-large to standing up and reporting domestic

violence when suspected or observed

Santa Clara County Area Supporting Organizations

• Santa Clara County Court Systems Committee

• Santa Clara County Police Victim Relations Committee

• Santa Clara County Victims Voice Committee• The Domestic Violence Executive Committee• San Jose Domestic Violence Taskforce• Santa Clara County Domestic Council

Insights about Team

• Chaired by District Attorney’s Office• Established 1994 at suggestion of US Justice

Department• Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner is a key role• Must have support of Law Enforcement

community; must trust that this is not a forum to point fingers for mistakes or issues

• Meets monthly• Annual Report with Recommendations

For More Information

Go to www.Workplaceviolence91l.com click on Articles, then click on

Domestic Violence and then select

Death Review Team