<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/paramedics" rel="" target="" title="Paramedics"><span>Paramedics</span></a><span> are pleading for an end to violence against them and other emergency service workers following a spate of verbal, physical and sexual assaults across </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="" title="Victoria"><span>Victoria</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ambulance crews have reported being rammed by a car, repeatedly punched in the face, and swung at with a cricket bat, in what Ambulance Victoria says are increasing dangers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Paramedic Luke Harrington said he was on the job on December 22 when he was ambushed by a member of the public who became violent.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bondi-beach-terror-attack-prime-minister-anthony-albanese-afp-commissioner-krissy-barrett-update-investigation/786a1481-b54f-43de-9220-701acf59acf8" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>CCTV of alleged Bondi gunmen in Philippines under AFP review</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He started striking the ambulance and then swearing at us, and then that's when he escalated, and he got right up to my face and spat on my neck," Harrington said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Paramedics say the risk of violence on the job is so serious that they've been advised to refuse treatment to anyone who displays and such behaviour.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span> "It's the worst I've ever seen it in 30 years of emergency work," Ambulance Victoria Metropolitan Director of Regional and Clinical Operations Vanessa Gorman said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/ambulance-victoria-increasing-number-of-attacks-in-victoria/719f685a-1e60-41ac-8027-5833875157b0" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's probably worse in regards to the severity of what is occurring."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ambulance Victoria is now urging the public to respect frontline workers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We stand here united to say this is not okay and it has to stop,"  Ambulance Victoria Metropolitan Director of Regional and Clinical Operations Andrew Burns said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Even over the last four days whilst everyone's enjoying Christmas, our staff have endured ridiculous levels of both verbal assault through the use of revolting language and verbal intimidation, through to physical contact in both sexual assault and physical assault."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></a><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><strong><span>Apple App Store</span></strong></a><span> </span><strong><span>and</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></a><strong><span>.</span></strong></div></div>