Reader situation
Things at home do not feel safe. You might feel afraid of someone you live with, be controlled or monitored, or have been hurt. At work you keep things looking normal, and you are not sure where to turn or whom you can trust.
Central idea
Your safety matters, even when work still looks manageable from the outside. Specialist services can help you think through safety, communication and practical arrangements. You do not need to tell colleagues anything to get help.
Practical steps
- Consider immediate safety. If you are in danger now, contact emergency services when it is safe to do so.
- Identify specialist support. Domestic-violence services can help with safety planning, advice and local resources, confidentially.
- Use a safe contact method. Use a device, account or time that the other person cannot check. Some services offer text or chat.
- Review work needs. Consider whether you need changes at work, such as a different schedule or a safe way for calls to reach you.
- Avoid public disclosure. Keep personal details out of community spaces. Share only with people and services you trust.
Worked example
Fictional example
The people and details are invented to illustrate an approach. It reports no outcomes.
Mira’s partner checks her phone and has threatened her. From a work computer during her lunch break, she contacts a domestic-violence hotline through its chat service. An advocate helps her plan for her safety and connects her with a local service. She asks HR, in confidence, to stop forwarding her work calls to her personal phone.
Companion tool: Safety and support checklist
Boundaries
- This guide cannot assess your safety. A specialist service can help you plan.
- Do not confront the other person unless a specialist has helped you plan; it can increase risk.
- You are not required to disclose anything to colleagues.
Where to find support
If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number when it is safe to do so.
In the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. You can also text START to 88788 or chat at thehotline.org. Advocates are available 24 hours a day and can help with safety planning. Use a phone or computer the other person cannot check.
Outside the US, contact your local emergency number, your doctor or a national helpline in your country.
Sources consulted: WHO, Mental health at work.
Member action
If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services when it is safe to do so. When you can, reach out to a specialist service.
Discussion prompt
What can workplaces do to make it easier for people to access confidential help?
