Research demonstrates that amongst health personnel, nursing staff are most at risk of workplace violence. Traditionally, many cultures have covertly accepted physical violence, sexual harassment or verbal abuse against women although a violation of their human rights. Also, nurses often passively accept abuse and violence as “part of the job” – an attitude sometimes shared by the public and the judiciary.

Under-reporting of workplace violence has hampered the development and implementation of effective strategies to reduce violence in the workplace. Nurses have been expected to cope with violence, although few programmes train nursing personnel to identify potentially dangerous situations and develop effective mechanisms to deal with aggression.

ICN has produced Guidelines on Coping with violence in the workplace and has a position statement on Abuse and violence against nursing personnel

Other resources:

• UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.
• Managing Gender-based Violence Programmes in Emergencies
• Addressing Violence against Women and Girls in Sexual and Reproductive Health Services
• Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice
• United Nations In-depth study on all forms of violence against women