This new report released February 16, 2007 from Statistics Canada uses recent police-reported and self-reported data from 2004 to look at and measure criminal victimization in the Canadian workplace.

The report provides a detailed look at violent workplace incidents and identifies the risk factors that are related to these incidents. It also examines the consequences of violence in the workplace.

People from about 24,000 households were asked in a survey about the occurrence of violence for three offences (physical assault, sexual assault and robbery) in the 12 months prior to the survey.

Highlights from the report include the following:

• Nearly one-fifth of all incidents of violent victimization, including physical assault, sexual assault and robbery, occurred in the victim's workplace
• 71% of the workplace violent incidents were classified as physical assaults.
• Men and women were equally likely to have reported experiencing workplace violence.
• 27% of incidents involving male victims resulted in injuries, compared with 17% of those involving female victims.

Violence in the workplace was much more common in certain employment sectors.

• One-third of all workplace violent incidents involved a victim who was working in social assistance or health care services such as hospitals, nursing or residential care facilities.
• There was a high proportion of incidents against those working in accommodation or food services, retail or wholesale trade, and educational services sectors.
• Violent incidents that occurred in the workplace were twice as likely to be reported to the police than those occurring outside of the workplace (37% compared to 17%).

Download the Report on Criminal Victimization in the Workplace from the Statistics Canada website

Read the OSH Answers on violence in the workplace

See the Violence in the Workplace Prevention Guide from CCOHS

To learn more about workplace violence, see the suite of e-courses from CCOHS:

• Violence in the Workplace: Awareness
• Violence in the Workplace: Establish a Prevention Program
• Violence in the Workplace: Recognize the Risk & Take Action

February 2007