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Sex crime cases in Hasselt are handled under Belgian national criminal law and are investigated and prosecuted locally by the police services and the Public Prosecutor for Limburg. The law was comprehensively modernized in 2022 to center the concept of consent, to address digital and technology-facilitated abuse, and to better protect minors and vulnerable persons. Offenses include rape, sexual assault, voyeurism, exhibitionism, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, grooming, child sexual abuse material, sexual extortion, and exploitation. Both victims and persons suspected or accused have clearly defined rights throughout investigation and court proceedings.
Local practice involves the Limburg police zones and the Prosecutor’s Office in Hasselt. Cases are heard in the Correctional Court of the Court of First Instance Limburg, Hasselt division, and in rare very serious matters possibly before the Assize Court. Specialized victim support services operate alongside the justice system, including a Sexual Assault Care Centre where you can receive medical care and forensic services even if you are not yet ready to file a police complaint.
If you are a victim or survivor, a lawyer can explain your options to report or not report, help you request protective measures, accompany you to give a statement, coordinate with the Sexual Assault Care Centre, seek compensation, and represent you as a civil party so that your voice is heard in the investigation and trial. A lawyer can also help you navigate privacy concerns, media attention, and employment or immigration questions that sometimes arise after a reported assault.
If you are contacted by police as a witness, person of interest, or suspect, you have the right to consult and be assisted by a lawyer from the first interrogation. This Salduz right is fundamental. Your lawyer will prepare you for questioning, protect your right to remain silent, challenge unlawful searches or device seizures, request release if you are detained, and work on an effective defense strategy. Early legal assistance can significantly affect whether charges are filed, the scope of the investigation, and the ultimate outcome.
Both victims and suspects may need tailored advice on digital evidence, social media, medical and forensic examinations, interactions with schools or employers, restraining orders, no-contact terms, and cross-border elements when communications or travel involve other countries.
Consent is central. Belgian law defines sexual acts without free, informed, and specific consent as criminal. Consent cannot be given by minors below the age of consent, and it is invalid when obtained through violence, threat, coercion, deceit, abuse of authority or trust, or when the person is unconscious, intoxicated, asleep, or otherwise incapable of consenting. Saying nothing is not consent. Consent to one act or at one time is not consent to other acts or later times.
Age of consent. As a general rule, the age of sexual consent in Belgium is 16. Sexual acts with minors under 16 are criminalized. Situations between minors of a similar age are treated sensitively and may be evaluated differently, but exploitation, coercion, or any imbalance of power is prosecuted. Offenses against minors carry heavier penalties, and limitation periods are longer and often start when the victim turns 18.
Range of offenses. Rape covers any non-consensual penetration, including digital penetration. Sexual assault covers other non-consensual sexual acts. The law criminalizes grooming, production, possession, and distribution of child sexual abuse material, voyeurism, exhibitionism, sexual harassment with a sexual intent in certain contexts, and non-consensual recording or sharing of intimate images including deepfakes and sextortion. Attempt and participation as an accomplice are also punishable.
Digital and technology-facilitated abuse. The 2022 reform explicitly penalizes non-consensual sharing of intimate images, coercive sexting, and sexual extortion. Investigators may seize phones, computers, and cloud accounts. It is important not to delete potential evidence before obtaining legal advice, whether you are a victim seeking to preserve proof or a suspect asserting your rights.
Sex work and exploitation. Belgium partially decriminalized sex work in 2022 for consenting adults, but exploitation, trafficking, coercion, and involvement of minors remain serious crimes. Third-party involvement is regulated and criminal where it amounts to exploitation or control.
Procedure and courts. Police take statements and collect evidence. The Prosecutor may open an investigation and can refer the case to an investigating judge for intrusive measures such as searches, phone analysis, or detention. Most cases are tried in the Correctional Court in Hasselt. Juveniles are dealt with in the Youth Court. In severe cases, pretrial detention is possible, subject to strict legal controls and review.
Victim status and compensation. A victim can file a complaint and later constitute as a civil party to gain access to the file and to claim damages for physical, psychological, and economic harm. In qualifying cases, compensation may also be available from the Commission for Financial Assistance to Victims of Intentional Acts of Violence when recovery from the offender is not possible.
Records and safeguarding. Convictions appear on the criminal record. For roles involving work with minors, employers often require a special extract of the criminal record known as model 596.2. Courts can impose prohibitions such as no-contact or bans on working with minors as part of sentencing or probation.
Limitation periods. Time limits to prosecute vary by offense gravity, are longer for crimes against minors, and may be suspended until the victim reaches adulthood. Because these rules have changed over time, get case-specific advice before assuming that a matter is time-barred.
Consent must be freely given, specific, and informed. There must be a real opportunity to say yes or no. Consent is invalid if there is violence, intimidation, coercion, deception, abuse of authority or trust, or if the person is asleep, unconscious, intoxicated, or otherwise incapable of consenting. Silence or lack of resistance is not consent, and consent can be withdrawn at any time.
The general age of consent is 16. Sexual acts with a person under 16 are criminalized. Cases involving young people close in age are treated with particular care, but exploitation, pressure, or any imbalance of power is prosecuted. When in doubt, seek legal guidance before making assumptions about close-in-age situations.
Yes. You have the Salduz right to consult with a lawyer and to have a lawyer present during your first police interrogation. You also have the right to remain silent, the right to a doctor, and the right to an interpreter if needed. Exercise these rights even if you believe you have nothing to hide.
Police take your statement and collect evidence. With your consent, they may arrange a forensic medical exam through a Sexual Assault Care Centre. The Prosecutor decides on investigative steps, which may include interviewing the suspect, collecting digital evidence, and requesting an investigating judge for intrusive measures. You can receive support services regardless of whether you proceed with a formal complaint immediately.
Yes. At a Sexual Assault Care Centre you can receive medical care, emergency contraception, prophylaxis for infections, psychological support, and a forensic exam. Evidence can be collected and stored for a certain period while you decide about a police complaint. A lawyer can coordinate these options and help protect your privacy.
Timelines vary from months to more than a year, depending on complexity, forensic analysis, and court schedules. Confrontations are not automatic. Courts can use measures such as video testimony, closed sessions in sensitive parts, and no-contact orders. Your lawyer can ask for protective measures to limit re-traumatization.
Penalties range from fines and suspended sentences to significant prison terms. Aggravating factors include use of violence, involvement of minors, group offending, recording or distribution of images, and abuse of authority. Courts may impose supervision, treatment conditions, electronic monitoring, and bans on contact or on working with minors. Convictions affect your criminal record and can have employment and immigration consequences.
You should immediately seek legal assistance, exercise your right to remain silent until advised, and preserve communications or other exculpatory material. Your lawyer can challenge unreliable identifications, timelines, or digital evidence, and can request independent forensic analysis. Making a false report is itself an offense, but the system treats all reports seriously and investigates to establish the truth.
Victims have important privacy protections. Sensitive hearings can be partially closed, and identifying details can be limited in court records and media. Discuss anonymity and communications strategy with your lawyer. Suspects and accused persons also have a right to the presumption of innocence and protection of private life.
If your income is limited, you may qualify for fully or partially subsidized legal aid known as pro-deo through the local Bar. Victim support services and the Sexual Assault Care Centre are free. There are dedicated helplines for sexual violence and for concerns about sexual behavior that provide confidential advice at no cost.
Local police in Hasselt. You can report urgent situations by calling 101 for police or 112 for emergency services. For non-urgent reporting, contact your local police zone in Hasselt.
Public Prosecutor’s Office Limburg. Handles the prosecution of criminal cases in the Hasselt division. Your lawyer can communicate directly with the case prosecutor.
Zorgcentrum na Seksueel Geweld. The Sexual Assault Care Centre offers 24-7 medical, forensic, and psychological support. You can attend even if you do not want to file a complaint immediately.
1712. The Flemish helpline for violence, abuse, and child abuse provides confidential information and referrals. Number 1712.
CAW Limburg. General welfare center offering psychosocial support and guidance after sexual violence.
Child Focus. Hotline 116000 for issues involving minors, including online sexual exploitation.
Stop It Now. Confidential counseling for people worried about their own sexual thoughts or behavior or about someone else’s. Flemish helpline 0800 200 50.
Bar Association Limburg. Information on finding a criminal defense lawyer or victim’s counsel and on eligibility for pro-deo legal aid.
Safeonweb and cybercrime units. For help with online abuse, account security, and preservation of digital evidence. Your lawyer can coordinate police reporting for image-based abuse.
If you are in immediate danger, call 112. If you need urgent police help, call 101. Seek medical care as soon as possible if you have been assaulted, preferably without washing or changing clothes, to preserve evidence. The Sexual Assault Care Centre can provide medical, forensic, and psychological care at any hour.
Contact a lawyer early. If you are a victim, a lawyer can help you decide whether and how to report, request protective measures, and claim compensation. If you are a suspect or have been invited for questioning, do not provide a statement before speaking with a lawyer. Exercise your right to remain silent until advised.
Preserve evidence. Save messages, photos, call logs, location data, and contact details for potential witnesses. Do not delete or alter content. Make secure copies where possible. If devices are seized, tell your lawyer about backups and accounts.
Limit contact. Do not contact the other party or discuss the case on social media. Follow any no-contact instructions from police or the prosecutor. Violations can lead to additional charges or detention.
Document your timeline. Write down what happened, when, and who was present. Include medical visits and symptoms. Keep receipts and records of expenses related to the incident, which may be recoverable as damages.
Ask about support. Consider counseling and practical support through CAW Limburg, 1712, and the Sexual Assault Care Centre. These services can help with safety planning, housing, and work or school issues.
Arrange representation for court. If charges are filed, your lawyer will prepare you for hearings, manage communication with authorities, and build the evidentiary record. Discuss confidentiality, media strategy, and any necessary safeguarding measures with your lawyer in advance.
Time limits and strategy. Because limitation periods and procedural rules are technical and depend on the facts, seek case-specific legal advice promptly. Early action often improves outcomes, whether your priority is protection, accountability, or defense.
