When Abuse Shows Up at Work: Texas Advocacy Project on Red Flags and How to Help

Domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, and coercive control do not always stay behind closed doors. These issues can show up in workplaces, schools, professional settings, and other environments where colleagues, supervisors, educators, or other licensed professionals may notice that something is wrong.

In this episode of Know Your Regulator, Cimone Murphree is joined by Bronwyn Blake, Chief Legal Officer of Texas Advocacy Project, to discuss how abuse can show up at work and what professionals should understand before trying to help.

Texas Advocacy Project is a free nonprofit law firm serving survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, and human trafficking across Texas. Bronwyn explains how abuse may appear in the workplace, including missed work, visible injuries, an abuser showing up at the office, or other changes that may signal a person is unsafe. She also shares what a supportive response can sound like when someone discloses abuse or when a coworker, employer, or professional is concerned.

The conversation addresses why “just leave” is not a helpful response, why survivors may not be ready or able to leave an abusive situation, and how safety, finances, housing, children, and fear of retaliation can all play a role. Bronwyn encourages listeners to avoid isolation, create space for honest conversations, and connect survivors with trained resources when they are ready.

We then cover how Texas Advocacy Project helps survivors through its free and confidential legal services, including intake, conflict checks, attorney consultations, and legal information about options and next steps. Bronwyn also discusses how organizations, businesses, and employers can request training, review workplace policies, and support TAP’s mission through initiatives like Handbags for Hope and Backpacks for Hope.

Whether you are a licensed professional, employer, supervisor, coworker, educator, or someone who wants to better understand how to support survivors, this episode offers practical guidance on recognizing red flags, responding with care, and referring people to the right resources.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the Texas Advocacy Project’s legal line for survivors at 1-800-374-HOPE.

Watch the episode here! - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/when-abuse-shows-up-at-work-texas-advocacy-project-on-red-flags-and-how-to-help/

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Visit the resources mentioned: 

Texas Advocacy Project Website

Texas Advocacy Project General Contact: info@texasadvocacyproject.org

Texas Advocacy Project Trainings and Outreach

Handbags & Backpacks for Hope

"50 Obstacles to Leaving, a.k.a, Why Abuse Victims Stay" by Prof. Sarah Buel

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About the guest:

Bronwyn Blake, UT Law ’05, is the Chief Legal Officer of the Texas Advocacy Project and the Founder of their Teen Justice Initiative, a program that advocates for teen victims of dating violence.  Blake was awarded the first UT Faculty Fellowship in Public Interest Law from the William Wayne Justice Center to start this valuable work.  In 2016, Blake was awarded the Texas Access to Justice Commission’s James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award for her legal services work. She is also a graduate of Leadership Austin’s Emerge Program for young leaders and the former President of the Young Women’s Alliance, a professional organization in Austin, Texas. She has served as an officer on the board of Girlstart, an organization that empowers girls in science, technology, engineering, and math. She is an adjunct professor at UT Law teaching “Domestic Violence and the Law.”

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Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/

Transcript

Purpose And Legal Disclaimer

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. It does not provide legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. While the host is not a lawyer, the content is overseen by licensed counsel. If you need help with a legal matter, you should always consult with a qualified attorney.

SPEAKER_02 0:15

When people

Abuse Does Not Stay Private

SPEAKER_02 0:16

think of domestic violence, stalking, assault, or coercive control, they may think of these issues as something that happens in private, outside of work. But the reality is these problems don't always stay behind closed doors. Abuse can affect someone's safety, attendance, communication, performance, finances, and overall stability. For licensed professionals, supervisors, educators, and the most client-facing professionals, this can create a difficult moment. You may be the person who notices a change, you may be the person someone discloses abuse to, or you may be in a position where you want to help, but you are not sure what you should or shouldn't say, or how to connect someone with support without overstepping your boundaries.

Meet Texas Advocacy Project

SPEAKER_02 1:01

I'm thankful to be joined today by Bronwyn Blake, Chief Legal Officer of the Texas Advocacy Project. Texas Advocacy Project is an incredible organization that provides free legal and social services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking across Texas. We're going to break down how abuse can show up at work and across professional environments and how individuals and professionals can recognize, respond, and refer them to resources with care. Bronwyn, thank you for joining me. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. Well, before we get too into the topic, can you briefly tell us about your role at Texas Advocacy Project and the types of situations that TAP helps survivors navigate?

SPEAKER_01 1:49

Absolutely. So Texas Advocacy Project, as you know, is a free nonprofit law firm. So we're serving victims of all kinds of intimate partner violence. So domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, and human trafficking. Really don't want to have to turn anyone away. And my role here is our chief legal officer. So I used to run our client services department and now I look out for the interest of the agency itself.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

Nice. Awesome. So you have been there helping survivors, you know, like you said, you were a client service. So you've been on the front lines and now you're kind of overseeing, you know, running things. That's really that's awesome. Well,

How Abuse and Domestic Violence Show Up At Work

SPEAKER_02 2:31

with your knowledge, you know, when most people think about domestic violence, assault, or stalking, they probably think of it as something that happens, you know, behind the scenes or behind closed doors. How can abuse show up in the workplace or in other professional settings?

SPEAKER_01 2:48

Well, you're right to raise that issue. And I think that's one of the reasons that these issues are so insidious, is that abusers know that survivors sometimes feel shame, that other people feel like it's none of their business. And it's great to kind of bring this out into the open and bust some of those myths because the workplace is one place that abuse can show up. You might notice a colleague um missing work. We've had a lot of our clients where their abusers actually come to the office and created a scene and had a role in them losing their job or hurting their job. Um, so it's something that it's important for a workplace to be aware of, or even have a domestic violence policy. It can be really helpful.

SPEAKER_02 3:31

Yeah, absolutely.

Red Flags Coworkers Can Notice

SPEAKER_02 3:33

You mentioned some red flags just a second ago, or some some kind of things you can recognize that, you know, there may be something going on. Are there any other signs or any other red flags that maybe a coworker or an employer or even a student or a teacher may be able to recognize that someone is dealing with abuse?

SPEAKER_01 3:55

Um well, every situation can be different for sure. And, you know, we want to try to meet survivors where they are. I think that for some people, I I mentioned the red flag of like missing work. Um, you know, obviously in some cases, abuse can be physical and you might have someone who's injured. But I think the best thing you can do as a coworker or colleague is create that space where it's okay for people to bring things up and talk about them and letting them know that if they need help, that you're gonna be there for them.

What A Helpful Response Sounds Like

SPEAKER_02 4:25

If someone does disclose abuse or a professional suspects that there may be something going on, what does a helpful response sound like?

SPEAKER_01 4:35

Well, thanks for asking that. I think that a helpful response at work can be a little bit different. And if, you know, if it's somebody who's like your family member or your friend. But in general, I like to advise people that you can let people know that you care about them, you're concerned for them, you're scared for them, and you're gonna be there to help them when they're ready. And, you know, changing up the wording or the situation, depending on your relationship with the individual is important. But I think those are the key things to let people know that, you know, you're raising this because you care for them. It's not because you're annoyed or that, that you're actually scared for them. This isn't me nitpicking, like, I don't like your boyfriend or girlfriend's sense of humor. Like, I'm actually concerned and scared for you. And then letting them know you're gonna be there when they're ready because they might not be ready. And I've uh talked to people before who've said, like, oh, this is so much drama. I've I told them I can't be their friend anymore if they're not gonna break up, and that isolation can really perpetuate the violence. So that last one's very important.

SPEAKER_02 5:35

Yeah. My next

Why “Just Leave” Can Be Harmful

SPEAKER_02 5:36

question is you know, a common response that people hear all the time is like, just leave, or like, you know, just get out of the situation. And it's really not that easy. How can that be unintentionally hurtful? And, you know, what may an individual, what can what kind of wording can they choose instead of saying just leave?

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Yeah, that's hard. Um, because from the outside, it does seem like that. We look at the situation, we're like, gosh, why are you in this situation? I I think it's important that you leave. And um, there's a really iconic article I can send you written by Professor Sarah Buell about 50 reasons why people stay. Um, and I think it it was really eye-opening when you first read it. Um, but obviously, a number one reason people stay is safety. You know, if your abuser has told you, if you leave me, you'll be sorry, or I'll never let you be with someone else. That's real. Over 160 people lost their lives in Texas last year from an abusive situation. So, you know, if nothing else, understanding this could be a safety issue is really important. Um, but then there's things that are more everyday. It could be a financial issue, a housing issue, um, an issue with shared children, so many reasons. Everyone's different, but I'll send you that list with 50.

SPEAKER_02 6:58

Yeah, yeah, I'd love that. It it really isn't just as easy as getting up and leaving for sure. Yeah. For

How To Connect With TAP Safely

SPEAKER_02 7:06

individuals who are listening who want to be helpful, maybe they don't know kind of where to start or they don't want to overstep. Um, maybe they need some resources themselves. How can they safely connect with Texas Advocacy Project?

SPEAKER_01 7:21

Well, I think it's important for people to not just be a bystander. And if you want to educate yourself more about this issue, you can visit our website at Texasadvocacyproject.org. Um, we have lots of information, statistics, and we also have trainings people can watch to learn more about how to spread awareness about this.

SPEAKER_02 7:40

That's awesome. I know that is gotta be so, so helpful. What

What Happens After You Call

SPEAKER_02 7:45

happens when someone reaches out to TAP? Can you kind of walk me through what resources that y'all can provide maybe before and after a crisis happens?

SPEAKER_01 7:56

Oh, yeah, great point. Because you can call Texas Advocacy Project at any point in an abusive situation. Um, you know, we'll definitely meet you where you are. No judgment here. If you're just contemplating and want to know what are my options, what is the true legal information? I do encourage people to call, even if they're not ready to leave a relationship. Because when you call us at 1-800-374-Hope, you're going to speak to one of our live intake specialists. They have to get just a little bit of information about you and your situation. You guys understand as a law firm, we have to do a conflict check. So we can't help two sides of the same case. But all that information is confidential. Um, we can't reveal to anyone that somebody even called us. Our services are free. So after that quick, maybe 15-minute call with our intake specialist, they're gonna schedule a time for an attorney to call you back. Um, we try to return those calls as quickly as possible. So we'll talk to you about your schedule and when's available for you. Um, but definitely in the next week, we want to get that private, confidential consultation with one of our expert attorneys. And they're gonna ask you a little bit about your situation, answer your questions, give you factual information about your legal rights, and they're gonna make sure you leave that consultation knowing the next step that you want to take.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

That's awesome. That sounds

Employer Trainings And Workplace Policies

SPEAKER_02 9:16

it sounds like a dream, honestly. You know, for organizations or employers who maybe want to better understand resources or what TAP, you know, does themselves, can they call in too, or is it mainly just for survivors?

SPEAKER_01 9:33

Well, we want to be a resource for the community as well. That legal line hotline is for survivors. That 1-800-374-HOPE number is for all survivors. Um, but we have a website info at Texasadvocacyproject.org and that anyone can reach out to us, and we offer trainings to businesses and employers as well. So um, there's information about the trainings we have available on our website. Um, we've talked to employers before about uh the policies they can have in their office. Um, we've talked about trainings they might want to make available. Sometimes they're required. Here in Texas, there's a law that in the hospitality industry that you do give all of your employees a training about intimate partner violence, and that's one that we provide.

SPEAKER_02 10:16

Awesome. That is great to know. And we will have that linked in our description below so that people can easily find that.

Ways To Support TAP’s Mission

SPEAKER_02 10:24

Um, for listeners that hear this and they want to support Texas Advocacy Project's mission, what are some ways that either individuals, other law firms, companies, professional organizations, how can they get involved?

SPEAKER_01 10:38

Well, thanks for asking that. Uh, you know, the number one way people can be involved is by being, you know, not just a bystander for sure. You know, keeping your eyes peeled for things that you don't think are okay and referring to Texas Advocacy Project can save lives. You know, but if you represent a business who might want to sponsor one of our initiatives, that information is on our website as well. Right now, we're collecting donations for two initiatives we call Handbags for Hope and Backpacks for Hope, where we collect new backpacks and handbags. We put discreetly our phone number inside and distribute them to people in unsafe situations so that you know if you're leaving a shelter, you have something to keep all your resources in, it's very discreet and you always have a way to call us back if you need help. Backpacks the same that can help students starting the new school year, brand new backpack. If they've left an abusive situation and they had to leave things behind, that can be a great way to start the year off right.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

Absolutely. No, that's fantastic that you guys do that.

Final Message And Takeaways

SPEAKER_02 11:37

Well, for my last question for you, Bronwyn, if you could leave just one message about abuse safety and the workplace, what would it be?

SPEAKER_01 11:47

Well, that's a great question too. And it's been um wonderful talking to you. But I think that um, you know, there is this perception that relationships are private, um, that we don't talk about them in the workplace sometimes, that abusive relationships are none of our business. And I think that it's important for coworkers and employers to help um disabuse us of that misperception. And these are our colleagues, and they need to know that we're there to support them. This costs industry and businesses millions of dollars every year. So, you know, from a business perspective and a human perspective, it's important to be a resource. So have a look at your policies if you're a business. Think about your relationships if you're a colleague, and never be afraid to refer somebody to Texas Advocacy Project.

SPEAKER_02 12:38

Yeah. I think there's this saying that's the see something, say something. Yeah. And I think that really, you know, yeah, if you see something, say something. So well, thank you so much for joining me, Bronwyn. I very much appreciate your time and your knowledge and for helping me kind of amplify this message and connecting people with TAP.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

Thank you for all that you do to help people maintain their uh licenses and um, you know, follow our regulations in Texas. And I hope that we can raise the bar on how we address domestic violence as well.

SPEAKER_02 13:13

Absolutely. Thank you. Abuse,

Closing And Resources

SPEAKER_02 13:17

stalking, assault, they don't always happen behind closed doors. It can show up in professional spaces, workplaces, and the way that we respond matters. You can be calm, careful, and supportive while respecting boundaries and connecting people with trained resources who can truly assist them. We'll have links below for listeners to learn more about Texas Advocacy Project and connect with resources. Until next week, stay inspired and continue engaging with your regulatory agency.