Nearly 10% of Belgians always or often feel unsafe, according to the 2021 edition of the Safety Monitor published on Thursday by the federal police.
The survey was conducted among 400,000 Belgians aged 15 and over, with a response rate of 25%.
The Safety Monitor 2021 indicates that 62% of Belgians always or almost always feel safe, while 29% sometimes feel unsafe. On the other hand, 9% of Belgians often or always feel unsafe, particularly those who have already been victims of violent acts, the report states.
This feeling is also exacerbated (14%) among respondents in the lowest age bracket (15-24 years) and among unemployed persons and jobseekers.
More people feel unsafe than in 2018
The general feeling of security is lower than in 2018, when the previous edition of the survey was conducted. Then, only 6% of respondents said they often or always felt unsafe. This is possibly linked to the reinforced security measures put in place at the time due to the terrorist threat, the Monitor noted.
The survey also attempts to assess avoidance behaviour. In the last edition, 39% of respondents said they did not open their doors to strangers.
About one-fifth (19%) avoid leaving their homes after dark and 13% stay clear of certain places in their community.
The Safety Monitor is based on the results of a questionnaire sent to Belgians on neighbourhood problems, the feeling of insecurity, victimisation, their propensity to lodge complaints and how satisfied they are with the functioning of the police.
This is the tenth edition of the survey, which was carried out in collaboration with the police and local authorities as well as the Federal Interior Department.
