Occupational violence and aggression in public aquatic facilities
Royal Life Saving Australia has released national findings on violence, harassment and abuse directed at lifeguards, swim teachers and other front-line aquatic staff in public pools and aquatic centres. The research analyses incident reports from 250 aquatic facilities across all Australian states and territories, and then estimates the scale of the problem across around 1,300 council-run public pools nationwide.
Key Findings
Across the 250-facility sample in 2024/25, facilities recorded:
- 445 incidents of verbal abuse towards staff
- 50 incidents of physical assault or aggression
- 185 incidents of harassment, including sexual harassment
On average, that’s around:
- 1.8 verbal abuse incidents per facility per year
- 0.2 physical incidents
- 0.7 harassment incidents
When extrapolated to around 1,300 public pools across Australia, the research suggests there were between 3,200 and 3,800 incidents of abuse and aggression towards lifeguards, swim teachers and aquatic staff last year, including:
- ≈2,300 incidents involving verbal abuse
- >250 incidents involving physical assault or aggression
- ≈1,000 incidents involving harassment, including sexual harassment
This equates to more than 120 incidents of abuse or aggression every day in public pools alone – almost certainly an underestimate of the true burden due to under-reporting and differences in incident recording systems.
Why This Matters
Why this matters for Australia’s aquatic workforce
Aquatic facilities in across Australia, including in New South Wales and Sydney; Victoria and Melbourne; Queensland and Brisbane; Western Australia and Perth; South Australia and Adelaide; Tasmania and Hobart; the Australian Capital Territory and Canberra; the Northern Territory and Darwin; and, all regional and remote communities - are essential community assets. They teach swimming and water safety, support health and wellbeing, and provide safe places to cool down in hot weather.
The data show that occupational violence and aggression (OVA) is not an isolated problem, but a systemic and recurring hazard for lifeguards, swim teachers and customer-facing staff across Australia.
Persistent abuse and aggression can:
- Drive experienced lifeguards, swim teachers and other staff out of the sector
- Make it harder for staff to enforce supervision and safety rules
- Increase psychosocial risk and impact mental health
- Undermine community trust and the user experience at pools and aquatic centres.
What we’re asking from patrons
Everyone who uses an aquatic facility can help make it safer by:
- Respecting and listening to our staff – lifeguards and swim teachers are there to keep everyone safe and faciliate enjoyable aquatic experiences
- Accepting a zero-tolerance approach to aggression – no yelling, abuse, threats or harassment
- Respecting other users and behaving safely – follow directions, supervise children, and use equipment appropriately
These expectations apply whether you’re visiting a facility in a capital city or a regional, rural or remote community.
Download the research report below
Research snapshot: Occupational violence and aggression at Australian aquatic facilities 2024-25
Recommended actions for councils and operators
To respond to violence, harassment and abuse against lifeguards and aquatic staff, aquatic facility owners, managers and local governments across Australia can:
