On November 6, 2021, Southcoast Health President and CEO Keith Hovan was arrested and later arraigned on domestic assault charges. As a survivor and now expert in domestic violence, needless to say, I’ve been following this story closely. But the story goes beyond Keith Hovan. The real story should be the culture of silent acceptance around the issue of domestic violence. It’s a culture of tacit consent, irresponsibility, and outdated views.

After my initial upset reading the details of the incident, what quickly upset me even more was the response released by Southcoast Health. Following Hovan’s arrest, the organization’s Board of Trustees emailed a statement to all of its hospital staff (later made public in news coverage). A portion read: “Out of respect for the privacy of the Hovan family and to allow for the matter to be adjudicated, we will refrain from further comment at this time. The Hovan family has the full support of the Board as they deal with this personal family matter.”

Yes, understandably refrain, but stop typing here. Continuing on to call domestic violence a “personal family matter” is as antiquated, irresponsible, and egregious as it gets – particularly coming from a healthcare organization with 3 hospitals, a physician network of more than 450 providers, and more than 55 service locations across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They also employ upwards of 6,000 employees. 

This error goes beyond poor word choice. Coming from “leadership,” this statement sets the culture and tone for the entire organization – one which has built its brand on excellence and a commitment to “promote and nurture a culture of health and wellness.” Yet, the board’s statement says otherwise for anyone experiencing domestic violence. Because calling it a “personal family matter” implies “this isn’t our problem.” And this carries a damaging underlying sentiment.

It’s an indirect, albeit unintentional, yet highly felt discrimination against a huge population of individuals. In the U.S., 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men will experience domestic violence. Considering Southcoast Health employs 6,000+ employees and serves more than 719,000 residents, this accounts for a significant and concerning number of people who engage daily with Southcoast Health in some form. Further, as a community committed to wellness, everyone should be bothered whether impacted by abuse or not. 

For employees experiencing domestic violence, most historically do not feel that support exists for them in the workplace. One has to wonder what employees felt upon receiving the board’s email – especially those currently in abusive relationships. This response only compounds the belief that work is not a resource and that support does not exist. 

However, in Massachusetts – where Southcoast Health operates – it’s the law to support victims in the workplace. Companies with 50 or more employees are mandated to provide up to 15 days of leave time if the employee, or a family member, is a victim of abuse. This provides time to attend court, obtain a restraining order, seek counseling, etc. Above and beyond this, many companies have established comprehensive domestic violence policies for employees – from workplace trainings to in-house resources, external partnerships, and even transitional support.

Why? Because domestic violence undeniably impacts the workplace. Abuse leads to decreased work attendance, performance, and productivity. Many experience abuse directly at work; abusive partners will call incessantly, send harassing emails, or show up. This is why workplaces actually should care – if not for moral reasons, at the very least for their bottom line and to reduce workplace liabilities.

Additionally, domestic violence is a serious public health issue linked to chronic, long-term, and adverse health outcomes. It’s for this reason that many nurses will ask about abuse during an intake. A medical institution’s commitment to health is multi-layered. Patients and communities need to feel supported, but this recent statement sends a conflicting message.

In no way, do I think that Southcoast Health does not care. As someone who grew up in this community, I know that they do. Their statement was either ill-advised or grossly ill-informed. We’ve also yet to hear anything else since. Further, the statement is almost mind-boggling considering the makeup of the board which includes individuals who are, in fact, educated in and/or directly engaged in domestic violence prevention work. In other words, they know better.

This piece is not an attack, but rather a plea for enhanced awareness and education, policy reform, and a shift in culture. It is Southcoast Health’s responsibility – both legally and ethically – to support employees who are victims of abuse. It’s also their responsibility as a healthcare institution to identify abuse and take a proactive, reactive, and preventative stance. 

Additionally, it’s worth noting that many institutions and individuals have chosen to remain silent about the Hovan matter. Collectively, as individuals, we cannot tacitly consent to violence. Yes, there are things we prefer to comfortably stay out of. Yes, we may have personal or business connections to those board members. But there’s a time to be bold and be part of the solutions instead of the problem. It’s called living by our values, versus just listing them. It’s called being an ally and actively being committed to making a difference.

Oh, and is Keith Hovan a problem? Of course, he is. Hovan is one of countless individuals who batter and torment their partners behind closed doors. Every detail from the November 6 arrest indicated that a domestic assault had, in fact, taken place. This was also not the first time police responded for a domestic dispute. Sadly, it is likely that domestic violence has been long-occurring within this home. Even more concerning is that the presence of a firearm – of which Hovan owned 50 – is a major risk factor when it comes to domestic violence. Statistically, when an abusive partner has access to a gun, a victim of domestic violence is 5 times more likely to be killed. (1)

Hovan’s case was dismissed; his wife invoked marital privilege not to testify against him. It is my hope that the family seeks resources, remains safe, or finds the will to flee. It is also my hope that Southcoast Health seriously discusses Hovan’s role and whether his character meets the standards of the organization, particularly as its “face” in his role as President and CEO.

More importantly, it is my hope that Southcoast Health one day becomes a model example for domestic violence policy, prevention, and intervention as a result of this whole incident. All challenges are lessons in waiting if we are brave enough to learn. Perhaps, this moment can call for real change.

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A list of names identifying the members of the Board of Trustees can be found here.

(1) https://efsgv.org/learn/type-of-gun-violence/domestic-violence-and-firearms/