Key Points
- Studies reveal that over 80 per cent of retail employees have experienced abuse or assault in the workplace.
- Melbourne-based shopkeeper Charanvir Singh questions police response time after he encountered a threat at his workplace.
Mr Singh, who runs a newspaper and lottery shop in Avondale Heights, north-west of Melbourne, recorded himself talking about verbally abusive threats not being considered a major incident.
His video went viral in the community raising concerns over shop staff safety and the rising incidences of shopkeepers facing aggressive and frustrated customers.
Speaking to SBS Punjabi, Mr Singh says the ordeal began when he denied service to a customer who failed to provide a valid ID matching a parcel's details.
"What followed was a barrage of abuse and a horrifying death threat, leaving me in fear for my life," he said.
Mr Singh, whose story gained attention after he posted a video on social media, questioned the effectiveness of law enforcement in ensuring public safety.
"When I contacted police, they said 'we'll come down when we get a chance'," he said.
"They arrived an hour later but what if that threat had turned into a reality meanwhile?
"This was my main reason for making the video as I was terrified that something would happen to me."
Vile abuse and threats are not considered major incidentsCharanvir Singh
A study conducted by the McKell Institute on behalf of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) revealed that over
When SBS Punjabi reached out to the local police for a statement, the police said at the time of the call, local police units were engaged at another major job.
"Police were called to a newsagent in Avondale Heights following an incident with a customer just before 6pm," the police said.
"The only available unit at the time was an Avondale Heights Unit returning from Broadmeadows, who arrived at approximately 7pm and spoke with the victim.
"As a result, the victim did not want to take further police action and the victim has since received an apology from the customer," the police told SBS Punjabi.
Mr Singh said, "I understand there is a surge of frustrated customers amidst the cost of living crisis and also maybe there is a police shortage but no one deserves to be terrified while doing their job."
"I've been asked to remove the video as the matter has been sorted but I won't as making the video gave me a sense of power when people connected and resonated with me."
Data finds increase in shop workers being abused by customers. Credit: aywan88/Getty Images
Startling data has shown an increase in police responses to shops, with assaults on retail workers being cited as the prevalent cause.
Sonder, a technology company offering support to major retailers such as Woolworths, Big W, Hoyts, and Universal Store, conducted revealing a 35 per cent increase in police calls to stores during the April to June quarter.
According to Sonder's CEO, Craig Cowdrey, the data shows these forms of assault have been on the rise in the last few months.
Earlier this year, New South Wales announced tougher penalties for those who abuse or assault retail workers.
Click on the audio button to listen to the above-mentioned interview in Punjabi.
LISTEN TO
Why this shopkeeper turned to social media after upsurge in abuse, assault threats
SBS Punjabi
16/10/202306:26
