A survey conducted by the ABC has found that regional and rural workers are leaving their areas for fear of their safety.

 

The survey of 600 rural teachers, police and health workers found that professionals felt increasingly unsafe in the face of rising violence in regional workplaces.

 

The Working Safe in Regional and Remote Australia is being co-run by a range of groups, including the Rural Doctors Association, Australian Nurses Federation and the Police Federation of Australia.

 

Chair of the steering group, Dr Jenny May, told the ABC that working in isolation, a lack of funding and a lack of staff all contributed to the gathering exodus.

 

"We know that feeling safe in a community and particularly in terms of your workplace, or not feeling safe, were correlated well with people deciding to leave our rural and remote communities," Dr May said.

 

"So there are a number of factors about the rural context, if you like, that make the impact of workplace violence potentially more problematic.