By Rob Schnitz

With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), I would like to share how my legal practice led to my involvement in helping domestic abuse survivors.

It was not until I became a labor and employment attorney representing employers in the late 1980s that I noticed the pervasiveness of domestic violence. I was repeatedly confronted with troubling domestic violence incidents impacting my clients’ workplaces. I often received calls for guidance to secure restraining/protective orders to keep an employee’s abusive partner or spouse away from the workplace. Occasionally, an employee would show up to work visibly injured and fearful. In some cases, the abuser came to the workplace threatening or stalking the employee. My experience with one particular workplace situation made me even more aware of the feelings of despair and helplessness that can overwhelm victims of domestic violence, yet I was always amazed by their strength and resilience. 

Employers can be an important part of a victim’s path to safety and recovery. A client was on the verge of terminating an employee for excessive absenteeism when it became clear the absences were related to repeated physical abuse by the employee’s spouse. The employee was embarrassed by the situation and did not want their coworkers or employer to find out. Fortunately, my client’s coworkers rallied to support their colleague after discovering the employee unconscious at home. This situation was gut-wrenching, and before the creation of the National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) following the enactment of the Violence Against Women Act into federal law, it was difficult to find readily accessible and consistent guidance and resources for domestic violence victims, family members, friends and other allies looking for ways to help. 

While I served as senior vice president and associate general counsel at Hyatt Hotels Corp., I was exposed to another side of domestic violence – at-risk victims and survivors seeking shelter in hotels, usually unbeknownst to the hotel staff. Again, I quickly realized how alone these victims must feel and the lack of available resources and services to protect and support them. The more I encountered these various aspects of domestic violence, the more I realized I wanted to become more involved.   To find ways in which to help.

The Calling

For the next seven years, I served as a member of The Hotline’s board of directors. During that time, The Hotline increased public awareness about the prevalence of domestic violence and answered an increasing number of calls, a volume which continues to grow each year. On one hand, that increase was and continues to be a sign that awareness efforts by The Hotline and other domestic violence organizations are working. However, it also poses an ongoing challenge to meet growing demand and respond to growing call volume, especially with limited resources. This year, The Hotline answered its 7 millionth call since its inception, a somber and remarkable milestone. 

Here are some important statistics about domestic violence that highlighted for me the prevalence of domestic violence incidents:

• 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence from an intimate partner.
• In the last five years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hotline’s call volume increased by 43%.
• Intimate partner violence accounts for nearly 8 million days of paid work lost by survivors of domestic violence each year. This is the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs. 
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the annual cost of lost productivity due to domestic violence equals $727.8 million.
• Many employers are not prepared to respond to or support domestic violence victims and survivors at work. 

After finishing my term on the board of directors, I became The Hotline’s first general counsel. I work with a remarkably dedicated group of professionals who make a positive impact in the lives of so many people every day. 

There is one individual who has had a profound impact on me: Katie Ray-Jones, chief executive officer of The Hotline. Each and every day Katie works tirelessly to address the many challenges domestic violence survivors face every day, and she treats every caller as if they are a family member, giving them the attention and respect they deserve. But one thing remains at the core of Katie and The Hotline team’s work— hope. Hope is always present, along with the knowledge that with the right support, safety and a life free from abuse is possible. 

I am also grateful to my law firm partners for supporting my commitment to The Hotline as part of their core value of giving back to their communities.

How Attorneys and Legal Professionals Can Help 

Friends and acquaintances often ask what they should know about domestic violence. The topic can be overwhelming, but here are some key points:

1. If you think you don’t know someone who has been affected by domestic violence, it’s likely because they haven’t disclosed it to you (or anyone).  
2. Leaving an abusive partner is not easy. On average, domestic violence survivors return to their abusive partners an average of seven times before leaving permanently. It requires careful planning, support and resources.
3. The Hotline and local domestic violence programs need more resources. You can also donate your time by offering pro bono services to domestic violence survivors.

You Are Not Alone

Every domestic violence survivor’s story is unique, and leaving an abusive partner is complex and isn’t always the answer. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone. The Hotline’s advocates are available 24/7/365 to listen without judgement and provide free, confidential and anonymous support. 
Please visit thehotline.org, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text the word “START” to 88788 to connect with an advocate.

Rob Schnitz, a partner in Kabat Chapman & Ozmer LLP’s Chicago office, has broad experience and deep knowledge in the areas of hospitality law, labor and employment law, internal investigations and commercial law. He has served as general counsel of the National Domestic Violence Hotline since 2022.