{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/778722.json"},"data":{"type":"petition","id":778722,"attributes":{"action":"Make verbal abuse of call centre workers a specific criminal offence","background":"We are looking for Government to create a specific criminal offence to verbally abuse or threaten call centre workers whilst on duty working on the phone lines.","additional_details":"Most experienced call centre workers understand that things do go wrong. System errors, human error, postal delays can all contribute to a customer's dissatisfaction.\r\n\r\nWhile we have all handled complaints and dissatisfaction, abuse or threats of violence should never be tolerated.\r\n\r\nWe have been customers ourselves, what we wish to see is a law that seeks to criminalise verbal abuse towards us and threats of physical violence towards us.","committee_note":null,"state":"open","signature_count":16,"closing_date":"2027-03-02","created_at":"2026-08-02T11:43:50.347Z","updated_at":"2026-09-02T16:12:09.525Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2026-09-02T16:12:09.522Z","closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2026-08-02T14:35:20.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_on":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"creator_name":"Samantha Eaton","rejection":null,"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[{"acronym":"MoJ","name":"Ministry of Justice","url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice"}],"topics":[],"signatures_by_country":[{"name":"Australia","code":"AU","signature_count":1},{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB","signature_count":15}],"signatures_by_constituency":[{"name":"Blyth and Ashington","ons_code":"E14001107","mp":"Ian Lavery MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Burton and Uttoxeter","ons_code":"E14001143","mp":"Jacob Collier MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Worthing and Shoreham","ons_code":"E14001218","mp":"Tom Rutland MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Houghton and Sunderland South","ons_code":"E14001295","mp":"Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Liverpool Riverside","ons_code":"E14001338","mp":"Kim Johnson MP","signature_count":2},{"name":"Manchester Central","ons_code":"E14001352","mp":"Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Nottingham East","ons_code":"E14001410","mp":"Nadia Whittome MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"South West Devon","ons_code":"E14001495","mp":"Rebecca Smith MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Worthing West","ons_code":"E14001599","mp":"Dr Beccy Cooper MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Antrim","ons_code":"N05000005","mp":"Rt Hon Sammy Wilson MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Fermanagh and South Tyrone","ons_code":"N05000007","mp":"Pat Cullen MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Coatbridge and Bellshill","ons_code":"S14000070","mp":"Frank McNally MP","signature_count":2},{"name":"Cardiff South and Penarth","ons_code":"W07000091","mp":"Stephen Doughty MP","signature_count":1}],"signatures_by_region":[{"name":"North East","ons_code":"A","signature_count":2},{"name":"North West","ons_code":"B","signature_count":3},{"name":"East Midlands","ons_code":"E","signature_count":1},{"name":"West Midlands","ons_code":"F","signature_count":1},{"name":"South East","ons_code":"J","signature_count":2},{"name":"South West","ons_code":"K","signature_count":1},{"name":"Wales","ons_code":"L","signature_count":1},{"name":"Scotland","ons_code":"M","signature_count":2},{"name":"Northern Ireland","ons_code":"N","signature_count":2}],"other_parliamentary_business":[]}}}