Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A total of 250 women reported being raped in Antwerp during 2024, which resulted in an increase of 74% since 2019 statistics. The city council provided the opposition party Vlaams Belang with figures which demonstrate the rise in these incidents.
A total of 250 women reported being raped in Antwerp during 2024, which resulted in an increase of 74% since 2019 statistics. These figures stem from the city council database that Vlaams Belang accessed and showed a dramatic escalation in reports about women experiencing violence. The city reports five rapes by women during each week.
“Every report is one too many,”
stated Wouter Bruyns, spokesperson for the Antwerp police, emphasising that all forms of violence must be punished. During the same period, Vlaams Belang researchers observed rising numbers of assault and intentional battery incidents,
On average, about 5 women report rape in Antwerp each week. This is evident from the most recent figures from the police.
“Every report is one too many,”
says Wouter Bruyns, spokesperson for the Antwerp police.
“Every form of violence must be punished.”
“We are very shocked by this,”
says municipal councillor Anke Van dermeersch (Vlaams Belang).
“This is an enormous number. It is also only about the women who dare to file a complaint because not everyone dares to do that. Women are really not safe in this city, and the government must do something about that.”
“Street intimidation is also increasing as a result,”
says Van Dermeersch.
“It is difficult to explain such an increase 1 on 1,”
responds Wouter Bruyns.
“Everything starts with reporting. Once that has been done, we can start working to track down the perpetrators. It also happens regularly that other victims turn up during the investigation, so reporting is really important.”
“We always take such reports very seriously,”
says Bruyns.
Vlaams Belang calls on the city government to take action.
“We want all police stations to be open 24/7 so that victims can always go there,”
Anke Van dermeersch continues.
“Victims must be able to file an online report specifically for street intimidation. We would also like an annual report from the police that specifically focuses on street intimidation and criminal acts that women are victims of.”
What do historical crime statistics reveal about violence against women in Antwerp?
The official police statistics in Antwerp reveal an increasing number of reported incidents of violence against women during the last ten years. Data from 2015 up to 2024 shows sexual assault crimes climbed by 62%, and reported rape incidents increased by 74% starting from 2019. During 2023, Antwerp documented 1,200 instances of gender-based violence that covered domestic abuse, harassment and physical assault reports. According to University of Antwerp research from 2022, only 15 % of victims report sexual violence incidents, but data suggests actual cases could exceed this number.
The Belgian Institute for Equality between Women and Men revealed that sexual violence cases in Flanders make up about 40% of all registered incidents across the nation. The rise in registered reports of sexual violence corresponds to better victim support units established by authorities in 2020. Advocacy groups identify recurring problems with the justice system because prosecutions from reported rapes in Belgium remain at less than 8%, according to 2023 justice ministry statistics.
The migration patterns in Antwerp have become a central point of discussion in political debates since its foreign-born population increased from 29% in 2010 to 37% in 2024. Academic research demonstrates stronger statistical evidence of socioeconomic factors leading to violent crime rates rather than the number of immigrants in society. Police surveys indicate that nighttime entertainment zones, together with transit hubs, represent critical hotspots where 43% of all assaults take place throughout the city.
