Use of restraining orders grows in attempt to tackle domestic violence

Perpetrators of intra-family violence are increasingly receiving temporary restraining orders. The number of cases has tripled in five years, according to figures requested by VRT. There are more than 700 such orders in place in Flanders. 

A temporary restraining order means that someone who poses a danger must leave the family home immediately for 14 days. The public prosecutor simultaneously imposes a restraining order, banning contact with the victim. The aim is to prevent violence within a family from escalating, without the victims having to leave their home. 

Over the past five years, the number of temporary restraining orders in Flanders has increased each year, from 217 in 2020 to 707 so far in 2025. The region’s agency for justice and enforcement expects this to rise to 760 by the end of the year, VRT reports. 

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However, without close monitoring, an order is easy to violate. A 29-year-old woman was killed at a flat in Antwerp last week. The suspect is her ex-partner. A 47-year-old Afghan stabbed his 43-year-old wife to death in Roeselare in September, and last summer, a man set his ex-partner on fire in Houthalen-Helchteren. The men in all three cases were subject to restraining orders.

There are no official figures, but experts say at least 22 women are killed by their partner or former partner every year. A scientific committee has been set up to uncover the underlying patterns and warning signs that often precede violence. They will issue their first report with recommendations next year.

Two years ago, Flemish Justice minister Zuhal Demir announced plans to monitor offenders with an ankle bracelet and GPS tracker. The system is currently being tested. In order to apply it effectively, a federal law must first be amended and this has not yet been approved.

^{#FlandersNewsService | The emergency victim assistance unit for victims of domestic and sexual violence at Molenbeek-Saint-Jean police station, Brussels, March 2024 © BELGA PHOTO LOU LAMPAERT}

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