Today's world is filled with stressful events, from finding employment, keeping a job, staying healthy, getting married, divorced, and everyday dealings with family members and peers. Stress is real, and we as human beings are surrounded by this emotion daily. It is how a person copes with their stress that sometimes can make the difference in a peaceful or violent day at the office. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, there were 639 workplace homicides in 2001 in the United States, out of a total of 8,786 fatal work injuries. ("workplace")
             Obviously, violence in the workplace is a health and safety issue with much impact on each individual as well as their co-workers, families and of course, their places of employment. With so many individuals striking out against one another through verbal or violent acts of aggression, causes of destructive behavior are not to be taken lightly or tolerated. Before September 11, 2001, violence in the workplace was thought to be caused by distressed employees angry at being passed over for a promotion, upset with their respective supervisors/managers, and/or upset with their fellow workers. ("violence") But violence towards individuals at work has now taken on a new twist since that tragic historical day. Not only do employees worry about their peers striking out against them, one must also be aware at all times of terrorist threats aimed at their place of work.
             Willa Bruce from the University of Illinois states "I argue that physical violence in the work place is a manifestation of the spiritual and psychological violence created by downsizing, cost-cutting, supervisory ineptitude, and criticism of workers. I argue that the hearts and souls of the American worker are damaged by a violation of personhood as insidious as the physical acts, which get reported in the national news. Violence begets violence. Violence is a ...