Violence at home affects the workplace &045; that is one of the issues the County Crime Victim’s Crisis Center (CVCC) will try to convey during the coming national domestic awareness month.

An educational play scheduled on Oct. 10 at Riverland Community College, &uot;None of Our Business,&uot; performed by Twin Cities-based Theatre at Work, Inc., will show the impacts of domestic violence on employee performance, and how to identify the problem in early stage.

&uot;Domestic violence crosses all religions, cultures, ages, educational backgrounds, economic status and sexual orientations,&uot; said CVCC Crime Victim Advocate Dotti Honsey. &uot;And it closely relates to the productivity and insurance rate of the workplace.&uot;

The event targets business owners as well as human resource managers in both the private and public sectors, Dotti said. Following the play, there will be a discussion where City Attorney Steven Schwab, County Attorney Craig Nelson and business attorney Phil Kohl of Christian & Peterson P.A. will be present as panelists.

Domestic violence has been often regarded as a private matter, and the victims still tend to be reluctant to reveal it to law enforcement or social service agencies.

&uot;No one deserves to be abused,&uot; Honsey said. &uot;It’s against the law.&uot; Last year, 33 women and 11 children were murdered in connection with domestic violence in Minnesota, two of which happened in Freeborn County, she said. Early detection is the key to prevent such dire consequences, she stressed.

Besides assisting domestic violence victims by providing shelter, organizing support groups and assisting legal procedures for protection, the CVCC also cultivates preventive measures such as anger-management programs and education for children.