Dear Employers,

We have a valuable message for you. Please listen to what we have to say. We are the voices of women you have had working in your midst. At this very moment, we have sought safety in a women's shelter. Some of us can go to work from here, others of us are in hiding. At times you have misunderstood us and perhaps fired us when too much was out of our control.

Each of us has experienced this set of circumstances. Yet it was difficult to tell you that we could not come into work one day because we had been beaten with a baseball bat, locked in our homes or verbally abused all night. Would you have believed us that our tires had been slashed by an abuser and we had no way to get to work?

Whether or not it was more comfortable for you to accept that our black eyes were due to a fall down the steps or easier for you to ignore the signs of our trouble, we understand. Domestic violence is a frightening issue many prefer not to become involved with. Unfortunately, we have no choice. We are the victims of violence.

There is a chance, however, that by telling you our stories, helping you to see what our lives are like and giving you clues to identify those of us among you, we can help each other. With your assistance we can fulfill our job responsibilities more successfully.

First, you must realize that most of us want to work. Our jobs give us enormous self-respect and pride. You see, for us a job is oftentimes the only road to escape, freedom and independence. Still, it is difficult for us to reveal our abuse to you, even to save our jobs. We feel shame in the eyes of others.

Carole explains why she hid her abuse: "It seemed that everywhere I worked, everybody lived happily together. I didn't want to be different. I didn't want the people I worked with to be afraid my abuser might come to work. I didn't want everybody to talk about me and know my business."

"Every time I missed work, I had a doctor's excuse. They couldn't understand what was wrong with me. I told so many lies to hide my abuse that I can't even remember them all."

"It seemed my boss knew what was going on, though. When things calmed down, she would tell me she was glad I was back to normal. I feel like if someone had said ‘if you need someone to talk to' I would have opened up and gotten help earlier. I didn't know there was anyplace I could go."

If you think there is a woman who might be suffering abuse in your work force, there are sure signs, particularly if she is a good, eager worker. Signs she is a woman in danger are plentiful: - Poor attendance on the job because of medical reasons is a number one sign; - Sudden change in job performance, sullen and quiet behavior; - Unexplained injuries; - Pain in her face and tears in her eyes; - Threatening phone calls at work.

"I got fired because he called the job and kept asking for ‘the bitch.' They were afraid of him, so they fired me," Natisha says. "It was a temporary job I had worked at for almost a year. Eight or nine more days and I would have been permanent."

Natisha is not alone. Barbara was in so much danger that one day the police took her to work. But then when her abuser phoned and cursed at her supervisor, she was fired instead of helped.

There is much you can do to help us: - Become educated about domestic violence; - Have information about shelters or support groups available to women; - Try not to be judgmental; - Offer support and confidentiality.

You can change our lives.

"If I had one good friend or one good employer I could have gotten out of my abuse sooner. I was trying so hard to do good each day without sleep. I would be kept up all night by my abuser arguing with me," explains Laurie, who suffered abuse for four years.

At her present job, Laurie has found more compassion and support. She told her supervisor about her situation and that she had sought shelter. "I didn't know people could be that helpful. She was so supportive."

Laurie and Barbara work at the same place. They recognized the abuse each was suffering and now feel it is their responsibility to help others. Through one another, they found shelter. Perhaps they could have found it sooner with the assistance of a knowledgeable employer.

For now they are thankful they can go to work and return in safety. For them the world looks brighter.

Women who have made the choice,

Natisha, Barbara, Carole, Laurie and Kesha