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Freedom From Fear

About Freedom From Fear

Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Campaign seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against workers.

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We need your help to raise public awareness that this is unacceptable behaviour, and give workers the confidence to speak out, report abuse and not accept it as part of the job.

Respect for Shopworkers Week, 11-17 November 2024

Every year, Respect for Shopworkers Week forms an integral part of our campaign. 

Whether it’s a stall in your workplace or canteen, or having a few simple conversations with colleagues, we encourage you to engage with staff and customers in your store during the week.

Get involved

It doesn't take a lot to get involved during Respect for Shopworkers Week - you can do as little or as much as you're able.

Campaign event – Run a campaign event in your store. Find out more and order your materials

Survey – It’s important to get as many workers as possible to fill out our survey so we can shine a light on their experiences. This will allow us to show how workers can be supported and abuse stopped.

Noticeboard – Theme your workplace noticeboard with Freedom From Fear materials.

Social – Share our message on X, Facebook and Instagram

Pledge your support.

Join – Ask any non-members who engage with the campaign to Join Usdaw.

Share your story - If you've experienced abuse or violence in your workplace, help us raise awareness by sharing your story. Contact the magazine team at [email protected]

2023 survey results

Our 2023 survey results show that violence against shopworkers has doubled since last year, with 18% saying they'd been assaulted.

Of those surveyed, 70% experienced verbal abuse and 46% were threatened by a customer. The results also show that amongst non-white workers, racial harassment was at 54%, and 41% of all women suffered sexism.

Violence and abuse was regularly triggered when abusers were caught shoplifting, often due to the cost of living crisis.

What we've achieved so far

Our campaign has made huge strides over the last three years. In August 2021, as a result of our campaigning, a new ground-breaking law to protect shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse was introduced in Scotland. Legal protections have also been delivered for retail workers in England and Wales.

In April 2024, the Government announced that there would be a new law making assaulting a retail worker a standalone criminal offence. There is still someway to go though, with the Conservatives' pledges not going far enough.

Retail workers continue to be impacted by abuse, threats and violence and therefore the campaign must continue. The Union is engaging with employers, politicians, the police and the justice system to ensure shopworkers have the protection they deserve.

Read our response to the 2019 Home Office call for evidence.

What needs to happen next

We support Labour’s community policing guarantee, which would include new powers to ban repeat offenders from town centres.

We would support removing the £200 threshold on dealing with shoplifting as a summary offence to drive up more prosecutions and demonstrate that shoplifting is being taken seriously. 

Respect Week 2023

Freedom From Fear

"No-one should feel afraid to go to work, but our evidence shows that too many retail workers are. It is shocking that nearly a fifth of our members working in retail are being assaulted for simply doing their job and serving the community. They provide an essential service and deserve our respect and the protection of the law."

 

 Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary.

13 March 2024

"The scale of violence, abuse and threats towards shop workers and extent of the retail crime epidemic has been a disgrace for many years. Our members have had to wait too long for their voices to be heard and for common sense to prevail." 

 

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary. 

09 May 2024

"Usdaw very much welcomes the ShopKind campaign, which brings together voices from across the retail sector, politicians and the police to promote a message of respect for shopworkers. Usdaw’s own annual survey found that 7 in 10 of our members working in retail suffered verbal abuse last year, with far too many being threatened or assaulted."

 

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary.

07 May 2024

"So many have first-hand experiences of asking customers for ID and being met with hostility. Age restricted sales are a real flashpoint, with shopworkers facing, abuse, threats and even violence, just for doing their job and complying with the law."

 

Dave McCrossen, Usdaw Deputy General Secretary

01 May 2024

Publications

View more >

Abuse Is Not Part Of The Job For Young Workers - If You Want to Sort It. Report It! Leaflet

25 April 2024

PDF

Freedom From Fear Survey Results 2023: Campaign To End Violence And Abuse Against Retail Workers

06 March 2024

PDF

Late-Night Working - Preventing Violence to Staff (Leaflet 294)

19 August 2024

PDF eBook

Retail Workers - Abuse is not part of the job (Leaflet 429)

19 August 2024

PDF

Respect Week 2023 Public Flyer Northern Ireland

01 November 2023

PDF

Lone Working in the Convenience Sector - A Guide for Usdaw Reps and Members

23 May 2023

PDF

Protecting Retail Workers: Sharing Best Practices

23 November 2022

PDF

Delivery Drivers - Abuse is not Part of the Job (Leaflet 430)

19 August 2024

PDF

Freedom From Fear Survey

Take our quick survey to tell us about your experiences of abuse, threats and violence at work.