Physical assault at work
Discussion
Over the weekend, I was physically assaulted by a female colleague at work. I've been called into work early to discuss the situation as I made a complaint. Anyone know what this will entail?
What sort of punishment will she receive and is there anything specific I need to be aware of? Anything I can ask about?
The assault was witnessed by a member of the management team. It came completely out of nowhere. There was no banter beforehand, no comments, nothing that could be taken as offensive by my colleague. She basically walked up to me and assaulted me in-front of customers.
I have been asked if I'm ok working with my colleague. I said yes. To be fair, I can't not work with her as we have a small team.
In retaliation, I did nothing. Just moved away from her and spoke to the manager who witnessed it straight after.
Thanks all.
What sort of punishment will she receive and is there anything specific I need to be aware of? Anything I can ask about?
The assault was witnessed by a member of the management team. It came completely out of nowhere. There was no banter beforehand, no comments, nothing that could be taken as offensive by my colleague. She basically walked up to me and assaulted me in-front of customers.
I have been asked if I'm ok working with my colleague. I said yes. To be fair, I can't not work with her as we have a small team.
In retaliation, I did nothing. Just moved away from her and spoke to the manager who witnessed it straight after.
Thanks all.
Common assault is a crime. I suggest you report the crime to the Police, that is why we have them after all.
If you assaulted her, do you think she would quietly move away? Or kick up a s
t storm?
Who is to say she won’t assault someone small and feeble next week? Unprofessional behaviour has no place in an office environment and there’s no better way to get someone out than having their manager witness them being escorted out by police.
Do your civic duty in reporting the assault, and let the beaurocracy take effect.
If you assaulted her, do you think she would quietly move away? Or kick up a s
t storm? Who is to say she won’t assault someone small and feeble next week? Unprofessional behaviour has no place in an office environment and there’s no better way to get someone out than having their manager witness them being escorted out by police.
Do your civic duty in reporting the assault, and let the beaurocracy take effect.
funkyrobot said:
She basically walked up to me and assaulted me in-front of customers.
....
I received a hard slap across the face. No lasting injuries, just a red face for the remainder of the shift.
That's it? No pre-amble? No history? No provocation? No reason?....
I received a hard slap across the face. No lasting injuries, just a red face for the remainder of the shift.
I'd suggest she probably needs mental health intervention if she randomly walks up to someone for no reason whatsoever and clouts them.
mickyh7 said:
She will get fired.
Gross misconduct.
Thats the end of it.
You may have to watch your back for retaliation/damage to your car from her partner outside of work.
Very rare to be Smoke without Fire ?
Can of worms.
Nothing on my part that could cause this. She is a very unhappy woman at work. To be fair, I'm one of the few that talks to her as others have been put off by her behaviour.Gross misconduct.
Thats the end of it.
You may have to watch your back for retaliation/damage to your car from her partner outside of work.
Very rare to be Smoke without Fire ?
Can of worms.
I'm working with her later. She hasn't gone anywhere yet.
She has already fallen out with management and done other things that would have resulted in punishment if it were anyone else. Yet she has been allowed to continue fine.
She doesn't have a partner.
CAPP0 said:
That's it? No pre-amble? No history? No provocation? No reason?
I'd suggest she probably needs mental health intervention if she randomly walks up to someone for no reason whatsoever and clouts them.
Nope. See my post above. I'm one of the few that talks to her as she has annoyed everyone else.I'd suggest she probably needs mental health intervention if she randomly walks up to someone for no reason whatsoever and clouts them.
She said afterwards she didn't know why she did it.
She has mental health issues.
Oh yes, she had been denied a break by our manager, but that was nothing to do with me. Maybe just thought she would take it out on the nearest object that happened to be me.
Edited by funkyrobot on Monday 27th January 14:05
Here’s an interesting angle, based on our ‘woke’ society...
You are sexist and should be fired for gross misconduct.
Sexism is a serious offence, and you didn’t get into a fight with the person because of their sex.
If it was a man you would have punched him back but only because your assailant was female did you not punch them back. That shows unequal administration of justice based on gender and so you’re sacked!
Did you see it coming? When a woman slaps a man they usually reach all the way back and loop their arm like they’re holding a tennis racket - the motion is neither swift nor discreet - I argue you should’ve moved your face out of the way or raised your hand to cover your face before she hit you.
Wear a wig and claim to identify as a woman and then you can kick fluff out of her without it being a sexist attack because you’re both female!
It’s a minefield
You are sexist and should be fired for gross misconduct.
Sexism is a serious offence, and you didn’t get into a fight with the person because of their sex.
If it was a man you would have punched him back but only because your assailant was female did you not punch them back. That shows unequal administration of justice based on gender and so you’re sacked!
Did you see it coming? When a woman slaps a man they usually reach all the way back and loop their arm like they’re holding a tennis racket - the motion is neither swift nor discreet - I argue you should’ve moved your face out of the way or raised your hand to cover your face before she hit you.
Wear a wig and claim to identify as a woman and then you can kick fluff out of her without it being a sexist attack because you’re both female!
It’s a minefield
funkyrobot said:
CAPP0 said:
That's it? No pre-amble? No history? No provocation? No reason?
I'd suggest she probably needs mental health intervention if she randomly walks up to someone for no reason whatsoever and clouts them.
Nope. See my post above. I'm one of the few that talks to her as she has annoyed everyone else.I'd suggest she probably needs mental health intervention if she randomly walks up to someone for no reason whatsoever and clouts them.
She said afterwards she didn't know why she did it.
She has mental health issues.
She cant go around slapping people in the face as a normal behaviour and be compatible with work.
Mental illness does not mean its ok for you to take it either. what next stick a knife into someone for no reason?
superlightr said:
did she apologise?
She cant go around slapping people in the face as a normal behaviour and be compatible with work.
Mental illness does not mean its ok for you to take it either. what next stick a knife into someone for no reason?
No apology that I can recall. She just said she didn't know why she did it.She cant go around slapping people in the face as a normal behaviour and be compatible with work.
Mental illness does not mean its ok for you to take it either. what next stick a knife into someone for no reason?
Thing is, if she does this, what is to stop her escalating the next event.
As mentioned above, she has got away with so much. I'm expecting to be told off later for being in the way of her hand, or hurting her hand.
Edited by funkyrobot on Monday 27th January 14:10
funkyrobot said:
Nope. See my post above. I'm one of the few that talks to her as she has annoyed everyone else.
She said afterwards she didn't know why she did it.
She has mental health issues.
Oh yes, she had been denied a break by our manager, but that was nothing to do with me. Maybe just thought she would take it out on the nearest object that happened to be me.
Seriously, nothing at all that he caused her to attack you? I'm really struggling to believe that, but if that really is the case she needs to be removed immediately from the workplace.She said afterwards she didn't know why she did it.
She has mental health issues.
Oh yes, she had been denied a break by our manager, but that was nothing to do with me. Maybe just thought she would take it out on the nearest object that happened to be me.
Edited by funkyrobot on Monday 27th January 14:05
croissant said:
funkyrobot said:
Nope. See my post above. I'm one of the few that talks to her as she has annoyed everyone else.
She said afterwards she didn't know why she did it.
She has mental health issues.
Oh yes, she had been denied a break by our manager, but that was nothing to do with me. Maybe just thought she would take it out on the nearest object that happened to be me.
Seriously, nothing at all that he caused her to attack you? I'm really struggling to believe that, but if that really is the case she needs to be removed immediately from the workplace.She said afterwards she didn't know why she did it.
She has mental health issues.
Oh yes, she had been denied a break by our manager, but that was nothing to do with me. Maybe just thought she would take it out on the nearest object that happened to be me.
Edited by funkyrobot on Monday 27th January 14:05
Before that point we talked as normal at the beginning of the shift.
She was denied a break by our manager. That is what seems to have sparked it as she hit me straight after that.
Oh yes, she had been annoyed by a colleague of ours earlier in the evening. However, that was nothing to do with me and I really don't know why she did it. If she was annoyed, she shouldn't have taken it out on me.
On reflection, she was probably annoyed because of others. But, it was absolutely nothing to do with me. Hence why the whole thing has dumbfounded me.
Edited by funkyrobot on Monday 27th January 14:15
'Mental Health' is a broad brush. Is she depressed or does she have learning difficulties for instance?
Do what you have done, report it, its not your place to decide what the business do next but they are responsible for your safety and wellbeing at work and it shouldn't just be waved away - as others have said if a guy slapped a much smaller woman the perception would be different but the process should be the same.
Do what you have done, report it, its not your place to decide what the business do next but they are responsible for your safety and wellbeing at work and it shouldn't just be waved away - as others have said if a guy slapped a much smaller woman the perception would be different but the process should be the same.
https://www.gov.uk/dismiss-staff/dismissals-on-cap...
Gross misconduct.
Given the witness, should be easy for management to process.
Gross misconduct.
Given the witness, should be easy for management to process.
coldel said:
'Mental Health' is a broad brush. Is she depressed or does she have learning difficulties for instance?
Do what you have done, report it, its not your place to decide what the business do next but they are responsible for your safety and wellbeing at work and it shouldn't just be waved away - as others have said if a guy slapped a much smaller woman the perception would be different but the process should be the same.
She verbally abused a female colleague and was spoken to about that a few days before my incident with her. This is just another example of her behaviour.Do what you have done, report it, its not your place to decide what the business do next but they are responsible for your safety and wellbeing at work and it shouldn't just be waved away - as others have said if a guy slapped a much smaller woman the perception would be different but the process should be the same.
I think she suffers from depression and anxiety issues. I have general anxiety disorder so have something in common with her in that sense. I don't act the way she does though.
It's looking a lot like management have no control over her and it's probably wise to question why she is allowed to continue to behave this way. Although I cannot specifically comment on the verbal abuse incident as that wasn't directed at me. I just witnessed it.
vaud said:
https://www.gov.uk/dismiss-staff/dismissals-on-cap...
Gross misconduct.
Given the witness, should be easy for management to process.
Thanks. Will see what happens later.Gross misconduct.
Given the witness, should be easy for management to process.
Unless we have to wait for a process to happen, I doubt they will go down this route as they have already asked me if I'm ok to work with her tonight.
ReallyReallyGood said:
funkyrobot said:
Probably. 
Well if that does happen IANAL but shirely you must have a pretty strong case against your employer for not upholding their duty of care to you. If you don't like your job that is.
I will question this because this is an escalation of a long line of bad behaviour. It's been verbal abuse in the past, but it got physical the other day.
In relation to the job, I am looking for something else.
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