Disadvantaged households in Belgium are far more likely to suffer domestic violence, according to a new report by the National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology.
Researchers analysed statistical data from 1886 to 2016 and found that domestic violence is responsible for around 10% of deaths nationally. Around 2 or 3% of deaths in Belgium are homicides – in real terms 150–200 homicides each year.
Data from the public prosecutor's office shows there were 41 victims of intimate partner homicide in 2017, 40 in 2018, 29 in 2019 and 28 in 2020. About 80% of female homicides were perpetrated by their partners. However, researchers underlined the difficulty in getting precise figures.
1 in 3 women are affected by domestic violence across the EU, according to figures from the European Commission. However, the institution notes that under-reporting is a serious issue as a majority of incidents of violence against women don't get police attention. Just 30% of victims report the most serious cases to the police.
30 to 49-year-olds most affected
To get a clearer picture of domestic violence in Belgium, researchers cross-referenced records from the public prosecutor's office with data from the national register. This covered almost 40,000 reports of domestic violence.
76% of suspects were men and 85% had Belgian nationality. 62% of cases involved physical violence, while harassment and threats accounted for 20%.
The majority of domestic violence cases was committed by those between the ages of 30 and 49. Demographically, this is 20% of Belgium's population. Those aged 50 and over (36% of the population) accounted for 15% of incidents. Almost one-quarter of incidents concerned 18 to 29-year-olds, who make up 15% of the Belgian population.
Female perpetrators of domestic violence are younger, with the 25 to 34-year-group most represented.
Domestic violence by region
Domestic violence is most prevalent in disadvantaged households. Violence between partners is lower in Flanders than in Wallonia and Brussels.
Researchers draw attention to policies in Flanders aimed at combatting intimate partner violence. These support both victims and perpetrators.
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Other criteria, such as employment and housing, was used to categorise the data. The most disadvantaged quartile was responsible for 31% of cases whereas the most privileged quartile accounts for just 16.3% of incidents.
Furthermore, the social standing of a perpetrator influences how the judicial system manages the case. 12% of cases from the most disadvantaged group resulted in an arrest warrant; this drops to 9% in the most privileged group.
Investing in social policies that reduce violence between partners and the way it is handled should be a priority, according to the researchers.
