Global Prevalence of Client Violence Against Social Workers: A Meta-Analysis

Client violence adversely affects social workers' psychology and professional practice. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies to synthesise the prevalence of client violence among social workers. This meta-analysis synthesised quantitative evidence on client violence prevalence. We searched for relevant articles in Scopus, Web of Science, and Academic Search Premier up to March 2025 and screened them using predefined criteria. The study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. A random-effects model was used for meta-regression of violence types based on female sample size, total sample size, and publication year, with subgroup analyses by country type and recall period, and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We ultimately included 17 articles from 11 countries, identifying 5 types of client violence: verbal violence, threats, harassment, property damage, and physical violence. The results showed that overall violence prevalence was 68.70%, with verbal violence highest at 67.20% and physical violence lowest at 10.70%. Verbal violence and threats were more common in developed countries, with threats (69.15%) peaking within 3 months and physical assault (15.58%) over a career. Based on the findings, social work agencies should implement tailored prevention strategies for different violence types and enhance practitioner support.