Sex crimes in Belgium 2008-2018

In total, nearly 870,000 crimes were registered in Belgium in 2018, of which 12,000 were sex crimes. This was a decrease in comparison to the previous two years. The number of sex crimes peaked in 2017, at nearly 13,200 crimes. The lowest figures were registered in 2008, 2009 and 2012. In those years, the authorities registered under 11,000 sex crimes annually.

 Opinions on non-consensual intercourse 

  A 2016 study surveyed the attitudes regarding gender-based violence in Belgium. Respondents were asked under which circumstances sexual intercourse without consent was justified. The large majority of survey participants did not consider sexual intercourse without consent acceptable in any case, but some support was visible for non-consensual intercourse in the case that the other party was drunk or had used drugs (18 percent) or if the victim went home with someone voluntarily (16 percent).

The role of the victim

  The same survey questioned respondents on violence against women and the victim’s own role in this. When asked to what extent they agree with the statement “violence against women is often provoked by the victim”, only two percent answered they totally agreed with that.