Rallying to protect South Australian Paramedics from alarming rising assault rates

Our paramedics have the most dangerous jobs in the country. Recent statistics have shown that assaults against South Australian ambulance have tripled within the past FOUR years. This is simply unacceptable.
The countless assaults which our paramedics face daily are simply brutal. Not only are they affected physically, but also mentally and emotionally. It is an issue that too often goes unreported, unnoticed and is brushed off by paramedics as it is tolerated as 'part of the job.'
A paramedic provides us with rapid response, emergency medical assessment, treatment and care in the out-of-hospital environment. They are health PROFESSIONALS, who have completed numerous years of study to be where they are now. Our paramedics are extremely hardworking, and are here to help others. Under NO circumstances should they be subjected to any type of abuse, whether it is verbal and physical.
Interviewee Kim Nguyen, a paramedic who has been working for the ambulance service for 5 years has expressed her experience with assault. "I personally have experienced verbal and physical abuse from patients along with bystanders or loved ones. I have experienced being yelled at with profanities, threatened with being hit/punched/smashed or killed, spat at and also on a few occasions have been struck as the patient has lashed out." In addition to this, South Australian paramedic Amanda Martin physically assaulted whilst transporting a patient who was severely injured with a head injury. Unfortunately, the patient was highly intoxicated which lead her to punch Ms Martin directly in the face. The impact of this assault gave Ms Martin no choice but to take two months' leave due to the trauma and injury that was caused. Despite the impact which was caused, what is most frustrating is the fact that the offender did NOT receive any penalty or conviction for their action. How on earth can our governments' laws on assault be seen as acceptable and just?
I am calling on the South Australian Government to urgently enforce laws on acts of violence against paramedics. We cannot let this issue rise and continue to deter our paramedics from doing their job