The death of a 24-year-old woman in Brussels has triggered criticism over Belgium's efforts to prevent gender-based violence.
Gloria Odia worked as a caregiver in a nursing home. She was reportedly found dead on 5 March in her own flat on Rue Docteur Elie Lambotte in Schaerbeek.
The 24-year-old is believed to have been shot in the head while she was asleep, according to Sudinfo. The young woman's ex-partner, with whom she reportedly had an abusive relationship, is said to have been in the flat at the time she was killed.
Gloria was described by her father as "stunningly beautiful, incredibly intelligent, helpful", and someone who "wore her heart on her sleeve."
While the details of Gloria's death are yet to be confirmed, the Brussels Prosecutor's Office reported on 15 March that a man had been arrested as a suspect in the murder of his ex-partner, a young woman who was found dead in her flat on 5 March. The man is suspected of having shot the victim.
Before her death, Gloria is said to have filed several complaints with the police against her (ex)partner to no avail, one of her close friends told Bruzz.
The local Brussels North police zone declined to comment on the matter. "We do not comment on an ongoing investigation to protect its integrity," a spokesperson told The Brussels Times.
Femicide in Belgium
Gloria's murder has been called a femicide by members of her family, social media users and some non-profits in Belgium, including aFreeKam and S.A.F.E.
Femicide is a form of gender-based violence, which refers to an act of violence directed at a person because of their sex, gender identity, or gender expression, according to the Belgian Institute for Equality of Women and Men. Femicide is used when the victim of a gender-based homicide is a woman.
In 2023, Belgium became one of the first countries to have a "comprehensive legislative framework" to combat gender-based homicides. The so-called 'Femicide Act’ included the development of concrete tools to prevent gender-based violence.
Amid reports of a lack of police response to Gloria's complaints, the impact of the 2023 legislation is being called into question by the organisers of Justice4Gloria, a group formed following the young woman's death.
“Three years later, what is the status of the training of law enforcement services? What is the status of strengthening assistance to victims of attempted femicide, their support, and their protection?” they wrote in a statement.
Saturday Silent March
A silent march will be held in Brussels on Saturday 11 April to pay tribute to Gloria, victims of femicide, and to "denounce shortcomings in the approach to violence against women."
With the march, organisers, including Justice4Gloria, are calling on authorities to ensure “a systematic and immediate handling of reports of violence”, to strengthen "protective measures for women at risk", and improve coordination between police and judicial services, among other things.
The march will begin at 14:00 on Rue Docteur Elie Lambotte 265, in Schaerbeek.
"This march is part of a clear objective: to mobilise civil society and hold policymakers accountable so that Gloria's death does not remain just one of many,” the organisers added.
The Brussels Times contacted the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office for comment, but did not receive a response as of the time of publication.
