18/10/2026
SECURITY GUARDS ARE HUMAN TOO.
There’s a side to working in security that most people never see. It’s what happens after the doors close, the uniforms come off and we go home to our families.
It's the bruises we try to hide. The anxiety that follows us home. The incidents we replay in our heads long after our shifts have ended. The threats made against us and our families. The feeling of being spat on, punched, kicked, screamed at and treated like we're somehow less than human, simply because we're doing our job.
And then there's getting up and putting that same uniform back on for the next shift, pretending none of it has affected us.
**But it does affect us. Sometimes more than people realise.**
Nobody should be going home from work covered in bruises, shaken up or wondering whether someone who threatened their life might actually follow through with it.
Nobody should have to reassure their family that they're okay when, deep down, they're still trying to process what happened.
Security guards are often judged, mocked and called wannabe cops or people on power trips. But the reality is, we're doing a job that many people would struggle to cope with, both physically and mentally.
We deal with aggression, violence, intoxication, drugs, threats and unpredictable behaviour, often all in the space of a single shift. We're expected to remain calm, professional and respectful while someone is standing centimetres from our face screaming abuse or trying to physically hurt us.
And somehow, we're expected to just brush it off because "it's part of the job."
Being assaulted is NOT part of anyone's job. Being abused is NOT something we should have to accept just because we wear a security uniform.
What people don't always understand is that their behaviour doesn't just ruin a night out for other patrons. It can follow a security guard home. It can affect their sleep, their relationships, their confidence and their mental health. It can make someone who once loved their job question whether they want to keep doing it.
And behind every security guard is a person. Someone's mum, dad, husband, wife, son, daughter or friend. Someone with people waiting for them to come home safely.
Thankfully, we also have so many wonderful regular patrons who make our jobs worthwhile. The friendly faces, the laughs, the people who stop for a chat or simply say thank you. Those people far outweigh the bad, and they're a big reason why so many of us keep turning up.
But I really wish more people would stop and think about the damage their actions can cause.
If security asks you to leave, **just leave.**
You don't need to spit in someone's face. You don't need to throw punches, kick, threaten their family or tell them you'll be waiting for them after work.
You can disagree with a decision without becoming violent. And very often once we are outside if you can explain the situation then security will let you back inside.
We don't expect everyone to like security. We don't expect praise for doing our jobs. And we're certainly not asking for sympathy.
We're asking to be treated like human beings.
Because when you go home after a night out, you might forget the security guard you abused or assaulted.
But that security guard might carry the effects of what you did for a very long time.
Please remember that the next time you see someone in a security uniform. We're there to help keep people safe, and we deserve to go home safe too.
