Staff Report
Published May 8, 2009

After an employee was killed in a domestic violence incident earlier this year, Verizon Wireless organized an event to raise awareness of the problem, bringing together local business leaders and elected officials.

S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster joined the leaders at Verizon’s North Charleston Call Center earlier this week to speak out against the problem.

“Domestic violence is South Carolina’s No. 1 crime problem,” McMaster said. “Domestic violence victims bring their worries and fears to work every day, and it is up to each of us to recognize the signs and act.”

Olga Mendez, a Verizon Wireless employee and domestic violence survivor, also spoke at the event. She offered statistics on how domestic violence affects the workplace:

• U.S. businesses lose $6 billion a year in health care expenses and lost productivity as a result of domestic violence.
• Domestic violence costs the workplace 8 million paid workdays every year.
• 64% of victims say their ability to work is affected by violence.
• 74% of employed, battered women say they have been harassed by their partner at work.

Verizon Wireless donated $10,000 to a scholarship fund for the two children of their slain employee, Katrina Johnson. Verizon also donated $10,000 to the S.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.