Belgium funds €1.5 million to combat domestic violence

Belgium has decided to earmark €1.5 million to support 15 innovative local pilot projects to combat domestic violence. This financial support follows a call for projects launched at the end of 2021 by the Minister of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden.

The projects aim to prevent this form of violence and share knowledge, experience and expertise with other cities and municipalities. Each project involves cooperation between at least two municipalities and is piloted by a municipality that is responsible for coordination and cooperates with the others.

Each of the 15 projects will receive funding to the sum of €100,000.

The selected municipalities in Brussels and Wallonia are Brussels, Saint-Gilles, Namur, Liège, Chaudfontaine, Verviers and Neupré.

“The incidence of domestic violence increased steadily during the Coronavirus crisis,” the Minister’s Office said in a press release.

“Unfortunately, even after the epidemic, this problem remains relevant. The threshold for reporting the facts is often still too high and many victims therefore do not benefit from assistance,” it stressed.

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