Social workers' experience of client violence : A narrative study

The purpose of this narrative study is to highlight social workers' experiences of threats and violence within their profession, as well as the variety of resources to fend off, remedy and manage the risk of threats and violence. The present problem is how threats and violence are underreported, partly due to social workers' views on their own profession and a work climate that might not encourage reporting incidents. Previous studies have shown high prevalence of threats and violence within social work and consequences that follow, such as high levels of stress, leading to burnout. Other studies found that the fear of being exposed to threats and violence can result in self-censorship, thereby limiting autonomy and professional judgment. Through interviews we found that social workers had experienced violence and threats of different sorts, primarily verbal threats. The overall perception was of understanding nature due to injustice that many clients face, resulting in expressions of strong emotions. However, some social workers described their work as characterized by imminent threats, rather than fear of being exposed. The preventing resources provided at the workplace are described as mostly effective and fulfilling of its purpose, while others find that they create unnecessary distance between them and clients. The social workers perceive themselves as fairly prepared for violent or threatening situations, mainly through their education, but emphasize experience over any type of education. They also emphasize the support from colleagues and managers as valuable and important resources. By highlighting the narrative of social workers we hope to bring awareness to this issue and encourage an open dialogue