保護性業務一線社會工作者職場暴力之初探：權力的觀點

A Preliminary Study of Worked-related Violence against Front-line Social Workers in Statutory Child Protection Agencies: A Perspective of Power

本文主要從權力觀點探討在公部門從事保護性業務的一線社工人員所面臨的職場暴力。資料來源主要運用電話訪談與分析部落格與專業團體留言版的訊息。研究發現，在公部門從事保護性業務的一線社工多為約聘人員，其職業身份加上性別與父權科層體制等因素交互影響，使得社工在組織內的權力和權威相對處於弱勢，她們經常會低報或不報她們遭到攻擊或暴力，有的覺得講了也沒用或覺得她們還因此會受到能力不足的責難。人身安全問題長久以來一直被視為是個人的問題，社工人員需獨自面對或自力救濟地動員家人以為協助。職場暴力所外顯的即如傳統權力概念所言是施於他人身上的壓制權力，和宰制息息相關。然而，社會工作者仍盡力行使其行動力，在互動中重新議定並協商出新的權力關係，發展合作權力。公部門風險預防的措施、政策和訓練的發展刻不容緩，我們接受暴力在社會工作實施的事實，但拒絕不是不可避免的說法。若組織對社會工作人員的安全和健康無法提供保障或支持，專業者將無法實現社會的託付以保障社會的弱勢成員。

This paper uses the perspective of power to explore the issues of worked-related violence experienced by front-line social workers who deal with child protection issues at statutory agencies.Two methods were used: telephone interviews and analyses of the messages on blogs by social workers and professional groups/organizations. This research found that most social workers in government departments were contract labor and this influenced their power and authority. Also, most of the interviewees were women, so the patriarchal hierarchical arrangements in their departments made the position of social workers more marginal, and the issue of personal safety was ignored by the authorities.The ”blaming” sub-culture of government departments made social workers under-report or not report violent incidents, viewing them instead as private matters. Work-related violence is a type of power over others and is closely linked with domination of employees. However, the social workers in this study still tried to exercise their agency to negotiate and redefine the power relationship within their bureaucracy, and then to reintroduce co-operative power.Work-related violence should not be regarded as inevitable. Only when organizations accept the responsibility to safeguard their employees and provide adequate support and protection can social workers fulfill their profession commitment to take care of people who are in need.