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Photo: Lino Mirgeler / dpa
A significant proportion of public sector employees have experienced violence, insults or threats on the job.
This is shown by the results of two surveys conducted by the German Research Institute for Public Administration on behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
According to this, an average of 23 percent of those surveyed stated that they had already experienced violence in their everyday work.
Employees in the fire brigade, rescue workers, public order offices, veterinary offices, in the penal system, in the social and labor administration of the federal and state governments, employees at universities and in the judiciary were interviewed.
Police officers were not included in the surveys.
More than 10,600 people from over 1,600 authorities took part in the survey.
The researchers suspect, however, that most likely a disproportionately large number of employees who were themselves victims of violence answered the questions.
Especially many cases in the fire brigade, rescue services and in the public order office
Men were therefore affected by violence somewhat more often than women.
According to the information, one third or more employees of the fire brigade and rescue services, in the veterinary office, in the regulatory office and in the penal system have experienced violence, threats or insults within a year.
According to the study, fewer than ten percent of employees in universities, social and labor administration and the judiciary have had such negative experiences.
The numbers have increased during the corona pandemic.
Only around 30 percent of the violent attacks experienced were reported to superiors or other bodies - "the number of unreported cases was 70 percent," according to a summary of the study.
Many employees stated that they had shied away from the bureaucratic effort.
56 percent of those affected said they had not reported the incident because they did not expect it to change the situation.
Faeser wants to work with unions
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) spoke of a “shattering result” and announced countermeasures.
"We must do more to protect the people who make our country run every day - whether in office or as rescuers in times of need," she said.
"We will work together with the unions to improve the prevention of violence and better protection for employees." The perpetrators must be prosecuted harshly.
On Friday, Faeser visited the public order office in Berlin-Mitte together with union representatives to hear first-hand from the employees about their experiences of violence.
fek/dpa/AFP