press releases

"Addressing Domestic Violence: A Corporate Response" Survey Highlights (conducted in Summer 1994)

CEO Awareness of Domestic Violence

  • 57% of corporate leaders surveyed believe domestic violence is a major problem in society.
  • Four out of 10 are even personally aware of employees and other individuals affected by domestic violence.
  • Among CEOs surveyed, domestic violence ranks sixth out of 11 problems facing society, ahead of "illiteracy," "homelessness," "alcoholism," and "inadequate health care."

Effect on Corporate America

  • 33% of those surveyed perceive domestic violence as having a negative impact on their bottom lines.
  • 66% agree that a company's financial performance would benefit from addressing the issue of domestic violence among its employees.
  • 80% say that where domestic violence exists, it affects employees from all walks of life and impacts all aspects of their lives.

Role of Corporations

  • Only 12% of those surveyed say that corporations should play a major role in addressing the issue.
  • 96% of those surveyed feel that it is an issue that should be addressed primarily by the family-perhaps reflecting a basic belief that domestic violence is a private matter.
  • While only 12% of those surveyed say that corporations should play a major role in addressing domestic violence, a majority (58%) do sponsor support programs, and nearly three-quarters (72%) offer counseling programs to employees. However, only 42% of those executives surveyed promote the fact that they have these programs to assist employees.
  • Only 33% claim that recent media attention to the issue has had any significant degree of impact on their desire to address the issue.
  • 43% say they will definitely respond to the problem in the future.
This survey was commissioned by Liz Claiborne Inc. and conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide. It was based on telephone interviews with senior executives representing 100 major companies across the United States. Corporations were selected at random from a 1994 list of Fortune 1,000 companies. Complete findings from the survey are available on request from Philip Stevens at pstevens@ptanaka.com.