Recent studies done by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) show that violence against healthcare workers is more prevalent than previously recognized.  ENA found that over 50% of emergency department nurses had been assaulted within 7 days of the study (42.5% were verbally assaulted, 12.1% were physically assaulted and 13.4% of those physically assaulted sustained injuries.  In a study done by ACEP, 47% of emergency physicians had been assaulted while at work. While violence targeting healthcare workers has been studied and reported on more in the United States then other areas of the world, it is known to be an international problem. Regardless of where the violence occurs however, it is often under-reported and the perpetrators of violence are frequently not held accountable for their actions.This may be due to the fact that law enforcement is reticent to press charges against a patient but is also due to the fact that health care workers often fail to report abuse. They may be afraid of “appearing weak” if they report or their employers may not support the reporting of the abuse. Research carried out by organizations such as ENA and ACEP have raised awareness of this problem resulting in a change in policies and legislation that will help protect healthcare workers. This session will present the research into this growing problem as well as discuss potential solutions for dealing with the issue.