Occupational Violence in Industrialized Countries: Types, Incidence Patterns and "at Risk" Groups of Workers (From Violence at Work: Causes, Patterns and Prevention, P 21-40, 2002, Martin Gill, Bonnie Fisher, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-193122)

• NCJ Number: 193124
• Author(s): Claire Mayhew
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 20 pages
• Sale Source: Willan Publishing
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This paper provides some baseline data about the types, incidence ratios, and severity of occupational violence in selected western industrialized countries.

Abstract

Overall, the data indicate that the high-risk jobs are similar across western industrialized countries, although intervening factors can exacerbate or diminish the threats. The seminal international comparative work on violence patterns was conducted by Chappell and Di Martino for the International Labour Office. The current paper presents evidence that shows an emerging "epidemic" of occupational violence in some jobs; however, the incidence varies across nation-states, because patterns of employment (and hence exposure) and other structural factors, such as firearms access, are diverse from one country to another and between industry and occupational subgroups. There is also a propensity to report some forms of violence but not others. This paper indicates the types of occupations at risk for various types of workplace violence in industrialized countries. Generally, the level of risk is increasing over time, with new "at risk" groups of workers and new types of threats emerging as job tasks and employment structures change. Recent evidence suggests the probability of exposure to occupational violence is mediated by employment status, with those employed under precarious arrangements (casual, short-term contract, subcontractor, outworkers, etc.) facing increased threats, although these are irregularly formally reported. 1 table and 84 notes