The Health and Safety Executive includes verbal abuse in its definition of work-related violence (HSE 1997). Verbal abuse is ‘any remark made to or about a client which may reasonably be perceived to be demeaning, disrespectful, humiliating, intimidating, racist, sexist, homophobic, ageist or blasphemous’. Examples include making sarcastic remarks, using a condescending tone of voice or using excessive and unwanted familiarity (UKCC 1999).
