The Scope of the Problem
Workplace violence (especially when it happens on any District property) is defined as “an overt act that causes or is likely to cause emotional and/or physical injury to another person (student, faculty, staff, or member of the community) associated directly and/or indirectly with the District through personal relationships, services, and/or employment.”
Is workplace violence usually caused by disgruntled ex-employees who return to their former worksites to harm employers and/or fellow employees?
Ex-employees who return to their former workplaces to injure or kill other employees are very visible perpetrators of workplace violence. The news media tends to depict workplace violence as a problem which primarily concerns homicides at work. However, violent incidents involving disgruntled employees are rare. The number of workplace violence cases involving current or former employees who come to work with guns to shoot or kill people is quite small.
Statistically, employees are most likely to be threatened by a co-worker or customer, not killed. Most employee deaths at work occur during robberies by armed criminals, not from attacks by co-workers.
The annual number of workplace fatalities caused by violent attacks peaked in the early 1990’s at just over 1,000. As crime rates have fallen across the country, the number of violent deaths at work has dropped to below 700 a year. In 2000, there were 675 workplace deaths caused by violent attack. While even one death is too many, this downward trend is a positive sign.
Sadly, workplace violence is still the leading cause of death for women at work. Workplace violence is centered around fear. If someone’s behavior or language makes you afraid to come to work, stay at work, do your work, or interact with that person, then you may be experiencing a potentially violent workplace situation. If you are stressed, apprehensive about your safety, or fearful of a co-worker, supervisor, customer, taxpayer, vendor, parent, or student, then you may already be a victim of workplace violence.
Studies suggest that threats in the workplace are not uncommon. Threats from an angry parent who comes to your workplace to complain, or phone threats from a former spouse or partner each meet the definition of workplace violence.
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