Izegem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A 34-year-old male citizen from Izegem was sentenced to a suspended jail sentence following his conviction for stalking and physically abusing his ex-girlfriend; he further assaulted her daughter, brother-in-law and sister-in-law in the process. This demonstrates how, in Belgium, domestic abuse extends to involve other family members who get involved in attempts to protect themselves from abuse or simply live in the same household environment.
What exactly happened in the Izegem domestic violence case?
This case involves an incident of stalking and violence following a breakup of a relationship. From the headline and the associated Belgian news reporting on this event at the same time period, it is clear that this individual, who is a 34-year-old Izegem citizen, harassed his former partner and stalked her following the breakup of their relationship.
However, it is evident that the defendant was violent with other members of the family as well in that his former partner’s daughter, in addition to his former partner’s brother-in-law and sister-in-law, also received the “blows”. It can be deduced from the details in the headline that the latter individuals were hit as well as the former.
The court ordered a suspended prison sentence, implying that the man will not serve his time in jail straight away but he will undergo imprisonment on probation depending on whether or not he breaks the terms set by the court. In the cases where a similar ruling was made in Belgium in 2026, the sentence includes a no contact order, a few years of probation, aggression or domestic violence training, and damages to the victims.
How did the court respond to the violence against multiple victims?
The suspended jail sentence shows that the behavior was too serious to avoid incarceration, but at the same time, the offense was not so severe that there would be need for immediate imprisonment. This practice is part of a number of decisions made by the Belgian courts on domestic abuse in 2026, where the courts give suspended jail sentences and impose strict behavioral requirements.
For instance, a 24-year-old Dutchman residing in Bilzen-Hoeselt was sentenced to 20 months of suspended jail term for beating up his girlfriend and making her leave their baby in order to beat him up, in addition to being placed on a five-year probation, having to attend training sessions, paying a fine of €1,000 and damages worth €3,500. The fact that the offender is a brother-in-law and the daughter is involved in the case may have been an important factor in determining the risk and the seriousness of the situation. Prosecutors and judges in Belgium refer to these kinds of cases as “intimate terrorism”, which entails spreading violence and intimidation within the family network.
How does this incident compare to similar recent cases in Belgium?
Several recent Belgian cases mirror key elements of the Izegem incident. In Mechelen/Beringen, a 34-year-old man stood trial for stalking his ex-partner by sending her photos of women with mutilated faces and messages such as
“I will kill you”
and
“I will burn you and set your face on fire”.
The prosecutors asked for 15 months’ imprisonment with the decision anticipated by 31 August 2026. This case, similar to Izegem, entails a psychological torture case perpetrated against an ex-partner by a middle-aged male. In Bilzen-Hoeselt, a 24-year-old Dutchman was convicted to 20 months of suspended sentence for beating up his partner, even when she gave birth. It was said that
“she had to put the baby aside to take the blows,”
which sums up the horrific situation surrounding many suspended sentences. In addition, he got a five-year probation sentence, compulsory training, a fine of €1,000 and €3,500 compensation.
In Roeselare, a 49 year old man, guilty of years of violence within the family against his wife and children, despite the fact that the victim had repeatedly retracted her claims under pressure, was sentenced to 10 months suspended sentence. The conviction and a compensation for the children of €1,500 prove that judicial authorities may base their decision on the overall picture of the criminal activity even after the retraction of accusations. As for Colfontaine, the harassment of an ex-spouse with 55 calls in one day and numerous beatings in the past resulted in a prison term of 15 months.
