Camilla Bank Friis et al. (2020) investigated workplace aggression with the benefit of reviewing body-worn camera analysis of situational encounters.1 They recognize that occupational victimization literature frequently discusses the enhanced level of danger associated with factors such as having a high-pressure work environment and interaction with the criminal element, but face-to-face interaction patterns are studied less frequently.

One study they recognize as among the key exceptions (Landau and Bendalak, 2010) demonstrated a positive association between the inability to effectively communicate with patients in a hospital emergency ward setting and the likelihood of serious aggression toward staff. Other research they cite (Rabe-Hemp and Schuck, 2007) found less chance of police staff victimization where the officers initiated citizen contact when first arriving at the scene. But, in terms of practical examples that are arguably broadly applicable, they examined a specific type of encounter that capitalized on some of the more common responses to being confronted with negative news within a relationship of power imbalance. READ MORE