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Attacks on firefighters are an everyday occurrence for many firefighters, especially those from professional fire departments: this worrying trend is confirmed by the second joint survey conducted by the German Firefighters’ Association (DFV) and the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV).
How widespread is violence at work? Statistics paint a mixed picture. Between 9,000 and 13,000 reportable accidents at work per year are caused by violence. Psychological violence such as insults or threats are often not included in the statistics. A representative survey conducted by forsa, Gesellschaft für Sozialforschung und statistische Analysen mbH on behalf of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), the umbrella organization of the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions, now shows that around a third of employees who have frequent contact with people outside the company, such as customers or patients, have experienced verbal abuse at work in the past twelve months.
A recent survey by the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) shows alarming trends: more than half of teachers at general education schools have observed an increase in psychological violence and bullying among pupils following the pandemic. 44% of those surveyed also reported an increase in physical violence. DGUV statistics recorded around 64,897 violence-related school accidents in 2023, an increase of 11,000 compared to the previous year.
Violence and aggression are an increasing problem for many employees. The consequences for those affected as well as companies and institutions can be serious. The current issue of the magazine “DGUV forum” deals with the causes of violence and the development of suitable prevention measures. Accident reports and the experience of the accident insurance institutions show that such incidents happen again and again.
Employees in the healthcare sector are particularly frequently affected by violence in the workplace: according to DGUV accident statistics for 2021, 6.9% of accidents at work in the healthcare and social services sector were caused by violence – more than in any other sector. Hospitals, care facilities and clinics are therefore called upon to protect their staff with a comprehensive concept against violence.