ABSTRACT
This chapter considers possible responses to violent behaviour not involving physical attack, and then responses to physical violence itself. If someone becomes abusive and threatening, consider whether or not one can cope with the situation. The purpose of the calming stage is to take the heat out of the situation and enable you to start communicating with the other person positively. The control trilogy is one way of coping with aggressive people. Violence can take the form of physical attack. The relative rarity of such events does not mean you should not think about and prepare for the possibility. Defusing the situation may not be a realistic option if the attacker is hell-bent on doing violence, is ill, or is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Self-defence training was something that many organizations placed great store by in recent years but, more recently still, it has been the focus of much debate.
