“As Aggression Towards NMBS and De Lijn Staff Rises, It’s Vital to Support Victims”

“There is a whole range of forms of aggression”, responds criminologist Iris Steenhout (VUB) in “Terzak”. She used to be a train conductor herself. “The physical aggressions come in, but also the daily verbal aggressions. It is important to make the distinction and to give the staff training to deal with it. Airhostesses, for example, are trained for this and you see that they handle aggressive travelers in a limited space can calm down.”

“Sometimes you have to be able to de-escalate the situation. You have to realize when to run away. For example, you also sense when someone is under the influence. If someone has a weapon, I hope you don’t just run away, but also call the emergency services. “