Habitual Trust in Encountering Violence at Work

Abstract

• Summary: This article analyses attitudes towards client-perpetrated violence among Finnish social workers and nurses. The research material consists of 25 theme interviews and 20 thematic writings which are examined by means of content analysis.• Findings: Although statistics show that among all the professional groups in Finland, people working in social welfare and health care are most likely to encounter violence, the risk of violence is underestimated by these professionals. In addition, violence that has taken place is not recognized as `real' violence, but as an excusable expression of clients' distress, or as a justified reaction to the employees' conduct. By using Niklas Luhmann's idea of trust as a way of ignoring risks in spite of being aware of them, the present study shows how trust is at the core of professional activity for caring professions such as those of social workers or nurses. Pierre Bourdieu's concept `habitus', in its part, explains the way in which trusting has became part of a professional orientation which works automatically and seems natural. The study shows that trust orientation is deeply embedded in professional practices, and therefore slow to change.• Applications : These findings have implications for the prevention of violence: the structural level of the social formation of the habitual trust orientation should be taken into account while the formal policies of prevention are planned.