'I feel like a second-class citizen' - Shop staff facing abuse

Like anybody else, Helen Edwards gets up in the morning and gets ready to go to work - except she has no idea whether she'll be safe when she gets there.

She works in a shop, a place where she can become a target for shoplifters or those engaging in anti-social behaviour two or three times a week - or even, she says, two or three times a day.

Whether it's having stolen items thrown at her or verbal abuse, it all makes her, and other shopworkers, feel like "second-class citizens".

"It seems that constantly we're phoning the police or writing up incident reports," she said.

Edwards is one of thousands of people across Northern Ireland who work in shops and have to deal with the threat of shoplifting or anti-social behaviour.

A new sentencing bill introduced to the Stormont assembly in March by Justice Minister Naomi Long will make it a specific offence to assault a public facing worker.

"We're only doing our jobs," Edwards continued. "We don't deserve to be shouted at like that."

Edwards is a representative of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW).

"It's not very good for your self-esteem," she said. "It's not very good for anybody's morale."

"We don't approach them, we don't stop them because our safety comes first."

Edwards feels perpetrators have become more aggressive and said she has even been confronted outside of work.

"It was scary when somebody accosts you outside your work."

She added: "Inside your work, you're braver because you have your colleagues around to support you."

Neil Johnston, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC), said the abuse of shopworkers was "completely unacceptable".

He believes the Sentencing Bill will give businesses more clout to act.

"We'll be able to publicize that and reinforce the message that it is not acceptable to abuse retail or any other public-facing workers."

"Hopefully we will see convictions and examples set."

The Department of Justice (DoJ) said that, jointly with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, they provide £4.25m each year to the Policing and Community Safety Partnerships.

Anyone who assaults a retail worker can be prosecuted under the laws that already exist to protect members of the public.

However, a spokesperson said the new legislation had been proposed by the minister "in light of increasing concerns about assaults on a range of workers who serve the public".

The bill, which makes it an offence to assault a person performing a public duty or delivering a public service, will carry stronger maximum penalties.

The spokesperson added that it also "provides for a statutory aggravator so that the fact the victim was delivering a public service is clearly recognised during sentencing".

Johnston said that many of his organisation's 100 Northern Ireland members have told him the level of abuse staff face is a significant issue.

Some who are based in Belfast have signed up to a 'Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) initiative' to try to curb crime.

It includes access to an app to flag incidents with other business owners and to receive crime alerts in other areas.

Damien Corr, manager of the Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District, said adult repeat offenders can be identified to other businesses on the app and then reported to the police on the non-emergency number.

However, it was delays in answering the non-emergency 101 number that prompted the creation of the app, said Corr.

"When you're a busy business person running a shop or a pub, time is money," he said, adding that he believes the police need more resources.

"People had lost confidence and the police were frustrated by that as well."

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Supt Hagan said the force is aware of concerns around non-emergency call waiting times.

"While there can be delays during periods of high demand, emergency calls continue to be prioritised and answered quickly.

"We would also encourage people to use online reporting where appropriate, particularly for non-emergency matters."

Supt Cunningham from the PSNI's business crime team said they wanted staff to feel safe at work.

"Every day, we work with retailers and local communities to tackle shoplifting and assaults across Northern Ireland.

"We conduct targeted policing activity in high-risk retail areas to deter offenders and provide reassurance to staff.

"This is not just a policing issue," Cunningham said. "It requires a multi-agency approach to ensure Northern Ireland's retail sector remains safe for workers and shoppers alike."