Workplace Red Flags – When Your Job Is Not a Safe Space

By Naisha Goel

Reentering the workforce after experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) can feel daunting. Many survivors face employment gaps, limited references, or career interruptions caused by circumstances beyond their control. Yet these challenges do not define a person’s potential. With the right guidance, support, and confidence, survivors can rebuild their professional paths and move toward long-term independence.

Understanding the Challenge

Abuse often impacts every aspect of life, including employment. Survivors may have been forced to leave jobs abruptly, relocate, or prioritize safety over stability. These decisions are acts of survival, not shortcomings. Recognizing this distinction is an important first step in reframing one’s career journey.

Strategies for Reentering the Workforce

Addressing resume gaps requires honesty paired with strategy. Survivors can focus on transferable skills such as organization, communication, problem-solving, and resilience—qualities that employers value highly. Volunteer work, freelance projects, or community involvement can also demonstrate initiative and ongoing growth. When discussing gaps in interviews, emphasizing recovery, learning, and readiness to contribute helps shift the narrative from loss to strength.

Support and Resources

Career rebuilding should not be faced alone. Organizations such as Reignite Resumes provide survivors with personalized resume and cover letter creation, as well as job search services and interview preparation. These services help bridge the gap between recovery and professional reintegration, ensuring that survivors feel both prepared and empowered.

Employment is more than financial stability; it is a step toward healing, autonomy, and renewed purpose. With the right support, survivors can move forward with confidence, knowing that their experiences have shaped not only their strength, but also their capacity to succeed.