Belgium Child Abuse Reports Hit Record as System Strains

Reports of physical child abuse in Belgium have surged by 10.7 percent, with a record 11,367 children reported to authorities in 2025, according to annual figures released by the Flemish Expertise Centre for Child Abuse (VECK) and the six Trust Centres for Child Abuse (VK). The data, published by VRT NWS, reveals a system under severe strain as the number of reports continues to outpace the capacity of support services.

A System in Crisis

The Trust Centres received 7,642 reports in 2025 concerning 11,367 children — a 4 percent increase in the number of children reported compared to 2024 and the highest figure ever recorded. While emotional abuse or neglect remains the largest category at 36 percent of reports, the most striking shift is the sharp rise in physical neglect and abuse, which increased by 10.7 percent. Reports of sexual abuse, meanwhile, decreased by 3 percent, a trend for which experts have no clear explanation.

Tim Stroobants, director of VECK, described the situation as unsustainable. “It is a trend that has been continuing for years,” he told VRT NWS. “One care worker for 110 children in an unsafe situation. That is simply unsustainable.”

Emergency Measures and Funding Response

The pressure on the system became so acute that in early 2026, the Trust Centres were forced to implement emergency measures for the first time in their history, including reducing intake hours and refusing some new cases. Social worker Katrijn Loots of the GO! CLB pupil guidance centre described the human cost: “There is a child I reported to the Trust Centre in November, but he had to wait two months for an appointment.”

In response, Flemish Minister of Welfare Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) announced an additional €1.5 million in funding, raising the total budget from €10 million to €11.5 million. “We have decided to immediately invest an additional €1.5 million so that children and young people can be helped more quickly,” Gennez said. “If abuse is identified anywhere, we must be able to act immediately.”

However, opposition politicians have questioned whether the additional funding goes far enough. Eva Ryde, a Flemish Parliament member for the N-VA party, argued that “perhaps even worse than child abuse itself is not responding when a child finally asks for help.” Writing on her website, Ryde called for immediate reinforcement of the Trust Centres and a stronger chain of cooperation between schools, police, and social services.

Melanie’s Story: A Decade of Hidden Abuse

The statistics are given a human face by Melanie, a 40-year-old survivor who was physically and sexually abused by her mother’s partner from age 6 to 16 — a decade of suffering that went entirely unnoticed by those around her.

“People who saw me thought I was a happy, cheerful, and social child,” Melanie told VRT NWS. “I played outside in the neighborhood, so outwardly I showed very little of what was happening behind our walls.”

She recalls a missed opportunity in the second grade when she drew an anatomically correct figure of Jesus at age 7 — a potential red flag that her teacher dismissed with a scolding. “If you doubt: don’t doubt. Your gut feeling is usually right,” Melanie now urges.

The Long Shadow of Trauma

Melanie’s experience illustrates the lasting impact of childhood abuse. “I’ve always had a wall around me and find it hard to let people fully into my life,” she said. “If someone suddenly becomes quiet or reacts differently, I’m on guard, because as a child that meant danger.”

Yet she is determined not to be defined by her past. “Childhood trauma doesn’t define the rest of your life. It’s something you carry with you, but as a person you are so much more. There is simply a need for the right guidance for these children and young people, and recovery is certainly possible.”

What’s Next

The €1.5 million funding injection is intended to stabilize operations in the short term, but experts and politicians agree that structural reforms are needed. Tim Stroobants noted that the additional funds will primarily be used to “bring operations up to standard” and ensure quality follow-up for existing cases. Minister Gennez has promised broader reforms to the youth care system, though details remain unclear.

As the number of reports continues to rise — driven largely by increased awareness and willingness among professionals to report concerns — the central question remains whether Belgium’s child protection system can keep pace with the demand. For every child like Melanie who slipped through the cracks for a decade, the stakes could not be higher.

If you have questions about violence, abuse, or maltreatment in Belgium, you can contact the helpline 1712. Young people can reach Awel at 102 or via chat at awel.be.