Liedekerke (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The 52-year-old Liedekerke resident received a 30-month suspended prison sentence at the Brussels Criminal Court for sexually abusing a mentally challenged man.
A 52-year-old female resident of Liedekerke received a 30-month prison sentence that is presently suspended when the Brussels Criminal Court found her guilty of sexually abusing her mentally disabled victim.
The facility employee fell in love with her mentally disabled patient at the institution, resulting in sexual intimacy between them. June 2021 marked the discovery of explicit material showing the woman on the disabled man’s mobile phone by another staff member.
The woman had been working at the institution for 15 years when the man was admitted there in 2020 because his mother had ended up in the hospital and died shortly afterwards.
“That mentally handicapped man was, therefore, already in a very vulnerable situation,”
According to the public prosecutor’s office.
“Shortly after his arrival, he built a bond with her, but that quickly went much further than professional. In June 2021, another staff member discovered that the man was looking at nude photos and videos of the woman on his mobile phone.”
“A form of infatuation developed between my client and that man,”
Her lawyer argued.
“She then got into that relationship and saw no way out. Of course, that does not alter the fact that what happened there was absolutely unacceptable. She has since found another job, where she does respect her professional boundaries very strictly.”
What is the history of similar cases in the region?
The Liedekerke case operates as a regional example of multiple incidents where sexual misconduct targeted vulnerable people who reside in care institutions within Belgium. Consolidated oversight practices on care facilities have increased because authorities wish to protect mentally disabled people who live there.
In 2019, a Flanders caregiver received a conviction for sexual abuse of his disabled patient, which resulted in tightened oversight for care institutions across the region. Belgium strengthened its legal system to combat vulnerable individuals’ mistreatment through increased punishment for assaults against defenceless people.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities led Belgium to strengthen its commitment to protecting disabled persons since 2009. The implemented measures seek to stop caregiver exploitation while maintaining accountability in care settings because society stands committed to safeguarding vulnerable groups.
