|
|
Profile of violent workplace victimization incidents1
Certain occupations carry higher risks of homicide
Physical assault most common type of violent workplace victimization
Factors that increase the risk of workplace violence
One-third of violent workplace incidents involved a victim working in social assistance or health care services
Workplace victimization incidents more likely to occur in offices, factories and stores
Perpetrators of workplace violence often known to victims
Almost one-half of violent workplace incidents linked to alcohol or drug use
Most incidents of workplace violence committed by a male acting alone
The GSS allows us to examine various characteristics of violent workplace victimization incidents such as the type of incident, the location and the relationship between the accused and the victim. When comparing workplace and non-workplace incidents in the following section, only violent incidents involving respondents who were asked whether their incident occurred at their place of work were included in the analysis.2
According to the GSS, women and men were equally likely to have reported experiencing workplace violence (53% versus 47%). This was also the case for non-workplace incidents.
Text box 2
Certain occupations carry higher risks of homicide3
The Homicide Survey collects information on homicides that are related to a victim’s occupation (legal or illegal). Because of the inherent dangers associated with some occupations, certain people are at greater risk of both lethal and non-lethal violence at their place of work. It is important to note that the following analysis includes only those victims whose deaths directly resulted from their profession, either partly or entirely. For example, if a police officer were killed because of a domestic dispute that was not related to his/her work, this homicide would not be counted as an occupation-related homicide.
According to the Homicide Survey, in Canada it is relatively rare for a victim to be killed during the course of legal employment. Between 2001 and 2005, there were 69 homicides that occurred as a result of the victim’s legal employment, representing an average of 14 victims killed each year while “on-the-job”.
Among the most common occupations of homicide victims between 2001 and 2005, 11 were taxi drivers, 10 were police officers, 8 were bar or restaurant employees, 8 were retail employees, 4 were labourers, 3 were health or social service workers, 3 worked in inspection or enforcement occupations, and 3 worked as security guards. The remaining homicide victims worked in 19 various other occupations.
Many victims involved in prostitution or illegal “occupations”
Data from the Homicide Survey have also shown that homicides are often associated with a victim’s involvement in prostitution or illegal activities, such as gang activities, drug dealing or trafficking . In 2005, police reported a total of 9 prostitutes killed. Police were able to establish that 3 of the prostitutes were killed as a direct result of their “occupation”. The police were unable to make this determination for the 6 remaining victims.ù
There were 139 homicides committed against persons working in illegal “occupations” such as drug dealers, members of an organized crime group or a gang. This represents 37 more victims than in 2004. Police were able to establish that 104 of these homicides occurred as a direct result of the victim’s “occupation”, 14 where police determined that the homicide was not related to the victim’s “occupation”. Police were unable to make this determination for 21 victims.
Physical assault most common type of violent workplace victimization
Physical assaults are the most common type of violent incident regardless of location of the incident. However, there were some differences in the distribution of offence types when considering violent workplace and non-workplace incidents. For example, 71% of all incidents of workplace violence were physical assaults, compared to 57% of violent non-workplace incidents. Sexual assaults were less common in the workplace (24%) than in non-workplace environments (34%). Robberies were the least frequent violent offence, regardless of the location.
Text box 3
Factors that increase the risk of violence in the workplace
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, there are certain work factors, processes, and interactions that can put people at increased risk of workplace violence.
Examples include: working with the public; handling money, valuables or prescription drugs (e.g. cashiers, pharmacists); carrying out inspection or enforcement duties (e.g. government employees); providing service, care, advice or education (e.g. health care staff, teachers); working with unstable or volatile persons (e.g. social services, or criminal justice system employees); working in premises where alcohol is served (e.g. food and beverage staff); working alone, in small numbers (e.g. store clerks, real estate agents), or in isolated or low traffic areas (e.g. washrooms, storage areas, utility rooms); working in community-based settings (e.g. nurses, social workers and other home visitors); having a mobile workplace (e.g. taxicab); working during periods of intense organizational change (e.g. strikes, downsizing).
Furthermore, the risk of violence may increase depending on the geographic location of the workplace; for example, near buildings or businesses that are at risk of violent crime (e.g. bars, banks) or in areas isolated from other buildings or structures.
One-third of violent workplace incidents involved a victim working in social assistance or health care services
According to the GSS, workplace violence was much more common in certain employment sectors. For example, 33% of all violent workplace incidents involved a victim who was working in social assistance or health care services such as hospitals, nursing or residential care facilities. A further 14% of incidents involved victims working in accommodation or food services, such as hotels, bars or restaurants, and 11% of incidents were committed against those working in educational services. These findings support research that has identified some of the highest- risk professions for workplace violence within these sectors (Macdonald and Sirotich, 2005; Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 2005).
Workplace victimization incidents more likely to occur in offices, factories and stores
Incidents of workplace violence are much more likely to occur in certain locations. Similar to what was found in previous research (Macdonald and Sirotich 2005; Runyan et al 2005; Hesketh et al 2003), almost half (49%) of all violent workplace incidents occurred in locations such as office buildings, factories, stores or shopping malls. Other common locations for violent workplace incidents were hospitals, prisons or rehabilitation centres (30% of incidents), restaurants or bars (10%), and inside schools or on school grounds (10%) (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Violent workplace incidents most likely to occur in offices, factories and stores, 2004
Perpetrators of workplace violence often known to victims4
According to the GSS, 66% of violent workplace incidents were committed by someone known to the victim while one-third of incidents were committed by a stranger. According to research, the majority of workplace victimization incidents are not committed by co-workers or members of the same organization. They are more likely to be committed by a member of the public or a client that comes into contact with the victim (LeBlanc and Barling, 2004).
When looking at violent workplace incidents where the accused was known to the victim, the perpetrator was a co-worker in 18% of incidents, and was known by sight in 11% of incidents. The accused was either someone else known by the victim or had an ‘other’ relationship with the victim in 38% of incidents. Examples of these other relationships may include: a patient, a client, a customer or a former co-worker (Figure 2).
Figure 2 Violent workplace incidents more likely to be commited by someone known to the victim, 2004
When considering violent non-workplace incidents, 42% were committed by someone known to the victim. The most common relationships were friends, neighbours or acquaintances (27%) and people known by sight only (11%).
Almost one-half of violent workplace incidents linked to alcohol or drug use
Studies on workplace victimization have shown that alcohol or drug consumption can increase the risk of workplace victimization (Dupré and Barling, 2003). According to the GSS, in 46% of incidents of violent victimization in the workplace, the victim believed the incident was related to the perpetrator’s alcohol or drug use. This proportion was lower than for incidents that occurred outside the workplace (54%).
Most incidents of workplace violence committed by a male acting alone
The vast majority of reported violent workplace incidents (93%) were committed by a single offender. This is higher than the three-quarters of violent incidents that occurred in a non-workplace location. Among those violent workplace incidents with a single perpetrator, males were identified as the accused in 93% of incidents. This proportion is significantly higher than the 83% of violent non-workplace incidents that involved a male offender. Victims also reported that single accused were relatively young, with over half (54%) of incidents involving an accused who was under the age of 35.
Notes
- This section excludes incidents of spousal physical and sexual assault because detailed information on each spousal incident is not available.
- Since those respondents who experienced violence in locations other than commercial or institutional establishments were not asked whether the location was also their place of work, the extent of workplace violence in this study may be underestimated. For example, those working in high- risk professions such as police officers, paramedics, bus drivers and taxi drivers who may have been victimized in streets, public places or other locations would not be included in this analysis.
- Adapted from Dauvergne, M. and G. Li, 2006 "Homicide in Canada, 2005" Juristat. Catalogue no. 85-002-XPE, Vol, 26, no. 6. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Ottawa: Statistics Canada.
- Includes only violent incidents committed by a single perpetrator.
|
