Stricter arms legislation implemented in Belgium since 2006 is contributing to a drop in murders and suicides, reveals research on links between possession of weapons and murder and suicide rates by Vlaams Vredesinstituut - VVI (Flemish Peace Institute). A new stricter law on weapons was adopted in Belgium in 2006. At the same time, conditions regarding the taking home of guns by policemen were significantly revised in 2006-2007.
In view of these legal changes, VVI analysed the effect of the stronger legislation. With that in mind, it used data from WHO (World Health Organisation) and Vlaams Agentschap Zorg en Gezondheid, the Flemish agency for Health and Care.
VVI says however that these conclusions must be qualified. “Other factors also played their part, such as anti-suicide campaigns by the government during the same period.”
(Source: Belga)
