Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Limburg Support Centre (LSB), led by Sara Roncada and Ann-Sofie Vanoverstijns, launched a black-and-white profile campaign to honour a deceased Ghent social worker and raise awareness about rising threats.
As VRT News reported, the Limburg Support Centre for Local Social Policy (LSB) has started a campaign asking people to turn their social media profile pictures black and white. The move is meant to show support for social workers after the recent death of a social worker in Ghent.
The campaign is led by Sara Roncada, chair of the Limburg Public Social Welfare Centres platform, and Ann-Sofie Vanoverstijns, chair of the Public Social Welfare Centres in Genk and Beringen.
Both said the gesture is a way to promote respect and compassion for social workers. They explained that social workers perform their daily duties with dedication and care, helping vulnerable people with passion and commitment.
Why is LSB urging black-and-white profiles after the Ghent social worker’s death?
Roncada emphasised that social workers require a firm foundation of respect to work effectively. They work under the influence of empathy and real concern to assist others, she added. Vanoverstijns stated that there is an increase in violence against social workers, such as threats, insults, and even physical attacks. According to her, the campaign is meant to inform society about these risks and make people acknowledge the value of social workers while spurning aggression towards them.
“We must give our social workers the opportunity to do their work in peace and with the necessary respect,”
Roncada emphasises.
In a statement, the chairs said,
“Social workers bring colour to the lives of many people every day, often when it is needed most. Today, we are removing the colour from our profile pictures as a sign of solidarity and respect. Violence against care workers is unacceptable.”
The centers also plan to make a visible statement at work next week. Staff members are encouraged to wear black or white clothing to show solidarity and respect for social workers. Officials mentioned that the combined effort of the social media campaign and workplace gesture is designed to raise awareness and send a clear message that violence and threats toward care workers will not be tolerated.
A 56-year-old social worker was found dead during a home visit in a social housing apartment in Nieuw Gent, Ghent, on Wednesday evening, Aug 13, 2025. Authorities were alerted around 7:45 p.m. when the social worker did not arrive for a follow-up appointment. Police discovered the body at the Kikvorsstraat location.
A 38-year-old man of Syrian origin, who was not previously known to police, was arrested in the Brugse Poort area and later remanded in custody for murder. Experts have been called in to assess the suspect’s mental state, and an autopsy of the victim is scheduled for Saturday, Aug 16, 2025.
