Keeping Employment

Once employed, women survivors may continue to experience employment instability as a result of IPV and TBI. Workplace disruptions such as on-the-job harassment, workplace time reductions, and job loss are commonly reported by women survivors of IPV.⁶ Additionally, they may experience challenges related to their TBI, such as cognitive fatigue or difficulty staying focused on tasks, difficulty remembering appointments, and slowed speed of processing.^7-8 These difficulties may also affect their self-esteem, as they become more dependent on their colleagues for support⁷. This section on keeping employment outlines a list of challenges experienced by women survivors of IPV and TBI in keeping their job and ways in which service providers and employers can support them. It is important to note that not all employers will have policies and procedures for supporting survivors already in place and the suggestions noted below will not necessarily work in every circumstance.