A recent parliamentary report has shown an increase in the number of attack against the personnel of Flemish public employment service VDAB since 2018.
According to information received by Flemish MP Axel Ronse (N-VA) from Flemish Labour Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V), the number of aggressions against VDAB staff has increased in the past four years.
In 2018, there were 132 reports of aggressions, with the number rising to 208 by 2021, half of them made by phone or in writing.
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In the first half of 2022, 83 similar reports were received, with police intervention required in eight cases. Brouns affirmed that the public employment agency is determined in strengthening the response to such incidents in the future.
To this end, a perpetrator-oriented strategy is being set up, in which the perpetrator is confronted. In addition, more alarm bells are being placed in locations prone to aggression as well as additional lessons for intervention teams.
