Adolescents and children attending Sexual assault Care Centres in Belgium: characteristics of victimization and challenges

• In Event: Sexual Violence in Various contexts

Abstract

Sexual violence (SV) is a growing public health, societal and judicial concern. In order to mitigate the negative consequences for victims of SV, Sexual Assault Care Centres (SACC) were developed to provide holistic patient-centered care to victims of sexual violence in Belgium. Trained professionals, including forensic nurses, psychologists and police officers, work as part of one team to provide victims with medical care, forensic examination, psychological care, the possibility to file a complaint and aftercare. From October 2017 to December 2023, 10 SACCs have opened progressively throughout Belgium.

The current presentation focuses on underage victims, who make up an alarming 30% of all victims attending a SACC. In some districts, this rate even reaches up to 45%. Data on victims presenting at the centers were routinely collected in electronic patient records by the SACC personnel. We examine the individual characteristics of the 2621 children and adolescents, their admission at the center, their assailants, and the type of the sexual violence. Additionally, we look at the victim’s acceptance of medical care, forensic examination and follow-up provided by forensic nurses. Finally, we explore the challenges and limitations related to the use of administrative data to evaluate the epidemiology of sexual violence.

Authors

• Clio Lambrechts, National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology

• Caroline Stappers, Researcher at the National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology

• Bertrand Renard, National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC-INCC)