Press Releases

Attorney General William H. Sorrell Launches Domestic Violence Awareness Month

CONTACT: Amy S. FitzGerald, Assistant Attorney General, (802) 828-5512

October 4, 2010

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Attorney General William H. Sorrell has joined with the Vermont Commission on Women, Vermont’s Council on Domestic Violence, domestic violence advocates and other state agencies to address domestic violence as a Vermont workplace and public health and safety issue.

To help mark October 2010 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office is distributing a brochure entitled “Domestic Violence: A Workplace Issue” along with a sample workplace protocol and model personnel policy for Vermont Employers. All of the materials are in a PDF format and can be found at the Attorney General’s web site and at the web sites listed below.

“Domestic violence does not stay at home when Vermont victims go to work; it affects productivity, increases absenteeism and raises the risk of violence in the workplace,” cautions Attorney General William H. Sorrell. 64 % of domestic violence victims report their ability to work is affected by violence and domestic violence costs American businesses nearly $6 billion in healthcare and lost productivity annually. In Vermont, for the past 15 years, 52% of all homicides were domestic violence related and at least 4 domestic violence related homicides occurred in connection with a Vermont victim’s employment. “Together we can work collaboratively to create Vermont workplaces that are intolerant of domestic violence and safe and supportive for victims and their families,” states Attorney General Sorrell. “Please join us in this effort.”

Make your workplace a safe space. Learn more about our Vermont campaign.

Domestic Violence: A Workplace Issue Materials can be found at: