People
Dealing with Violence

Dealing with Violence

Many jobs in the BBC involve frequent contact with the public with potential for conflict in a variety of programme and operational situations.

At these times emotions and anger can overcome normal standards of behavior and persons may appear to threaten, or actually become violent towards staff and others. This section summarises the preparation and reaction to potentially violent encounters, including verbal abuse, racial abuse, bullying, harassment, threatened and actual physical attack, with the emphasis on security related situations.

Risk Assessment and Incident Log

It is important for managers to assess the risk from violence and aggression to establish people at risk, and record all incidents of violence, both verbal and physical, any threats of violence, or reportable near misses, principally for evidential use, but also to review existing procedures. For further information, see the Risk Assessment and Incident Reporting guidelines.

Recognition Factors

Awareness of potential violence can improve confidence when handling these situations, but care must be taken that this does not become complacency when the signs that a situation may quickly take an adverse turn could be missed.

Take special care if a potential aggressor appears under the influence of drugs or alcohol, appears mentally unstable, or could behave in an unpredictable way.

Verbal threats and harassment can be as frightening as physical aggression, and managers must treat reported cases seriously.

Diffusion Techniques

When faced with a potential or violent situation the following approaches may be useful, depending on the circumstances:

appear calm;
avoid prolonged eye contact;
be aware of the tone of your voice;
speak slowly and softly and avoid long sentences;
keep your distance;
don't touch anyone threatening you;
be conscious of your posture, try to appear relaxed;
do not wave arms or make sudden movements;
distract - try to change the subject;
listen - the problem may be poor communication;
negotiate - try a compromise;
do not make retaliatory threats;
dissuade others escalating a situation by words or actions.

Try to be helpful and to understand the cause of the anger as it will help negotiate a satisfactory resolution.

Try not to take an aggressive verbal outburst personally in the heat of the moment. Anger is often meant for others who are seen to have created a situation, and taking it personally will reduce an ability to deal with the situation successfully.

Warning Signs & Danger Signs

Some forms of behaviour can give advance warning of physical attack:

Prolonged eye contact
Facial colour darkens
Intimidating posture
Large arm movements
Sweating
Raised voice

If violence is imminent, there are possible danger signs:

Fists clenching and unclenching
Facial colour pales
Lips tighten over teeth
Head drops forward
Eyebrows drop
Hands rise above waist level
Shoulders tense up
Subject turns sideways on
Eyes look to target
Lowering of body weight prior to attack

Safety Actions

Call for help, but not in a way that may increase tension. Operating procedures for positions that regularly deal with the public must have a pre-arranged method of calling up assistance, either by a coded message to a continuously staffed area, or personal attack alarm connected to an Alarm Receiving Centre.

If there are warning signs, move away immediately and create distance, using a barrier if possible, or go to a pre-arranged safe area or designated safe refuge.

If warning signs turn to attack, police must be called and they will assume control on arrival.

Operational Procedures

If weapons are produced leave the area immediately, and try to ensure that others in the area are moved to places of safety. Police assistance must be summoned, if possible without giving further alarm.

If someone has already been injured, until the police and ambulance arrive, others must be prevented from entering the danger area, and, if possible, and at no additional danger to persons, an attempt to negotiate the need for treatment to the injured person(s) will be required.

Do not yourself, or let others, take unnecessary personal risk.

Follow-Up

All cases of threatened or actual violence must be reported to BBC Safety via Accident and Incident reporting and all acts of non-consensual violence done to persons at work are required to be reported under RIDDOR if they result in (a) death; (b) major injury; (c) the injured person being off work for more than three days.

Contact the BBC Investigation Service at the earliest opportunity for advice, investigation and support recommendations.

Legislation is now in place for the prosecution of harassment offenders, and the BBC will always actively pursue such cases in order to protect its staff and contributors. For the follow-up action to be successful, whether for disciplinary or law enforcement purposes, it is essential that all relevant details such as date, time, description and/or name of aggressor, location, nature of threat, aggravating factors and any witness details, etc., including attending police officers, are carefully recorded. If possible obtain statements from those involved. It is essential that managers have this information for onward reporting. Once involved the BBC Investigation Service will give advice and assist with this process.

HR procedures must be followed closely, in consultation with BBC People HR advisors and Safety Advisors for current best practice support solutions.

Techniques for dealing with potentially violent situations can be learnt, and these can result in more confident handling of difficult situations, reduce the chance of injury, and improve the experience of people with a grievance who visit our premises.

The Head of Corporate Security can give advice on this via the local Safety Advisor.

People Dealing with Violence

People
Dealing with Violence