“I’m very blessed that I can see out of both my eyes,” says Kalyn Risker Fahie. Nearly ten years ago, her left eye-socket was shattered by her longtime ex-partner and father of her oldest child. A titanium implant now holds her eye in place.
It was the first — and only — time he hit her. But she said there had been signs of violent tendencies, like the time he burned all the clothes and jewelry he had bought her. She just hadn’t recognized those as abusive tendencies.
It wasn’t until Fahie left the relationship soon afterward that she realized her ex’s abuse was not only emotional and physical, but also financial. While in the relationship she had been looking for a second job and had submitted her resume to numerous companies. She says she didn’t get any calls during the time she was with him — or so she thought. Calls poured in once she left. “I believe he withheld phone calls from jobs for me,” she says.
In addition, she was unable to hold on to the job she had because of her eye injury. She experienced double vision, and her doctor would not give her clearance to return to work. She had to quit.
Fahie is one of tens of millions of women — and men — in the United States who have experienced abuse at the hands of an intimate partner. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men are victims of abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
The physical, mental, and emotional consequences are well known. Less so are the financial costs of domestic violence.
Her ex’s abuse was not only emotional and physical, but also financial.
Over 90 percent of domestic violence victims who are employed experience problems at work. Each year, collectively, victims lose a total of 8 million days of paid work, and up to 60 percent lose their jobs due to abuse, according to the coalition.
For companies, billions of dollars are lost because of reduced productivity, missed work days, and increased health care costs. Employed or…