The majority (about 66%) of those begging on Brussels' streets are Roma people, coming from Romania – an increase compared to 15 years ago when they 'only' made up about half of all beggars in the capital, shows a KU Leuven report.
As previous large-scale population surveys on begging have failed to document some of the most excluded groups and individuals, KU Leuven researchers surveyed some 350 beggars in Brussels and found that the group of Roma has grown enormously.
"Roma people in Brussels are mainly from Romania and now make up two-thirds of the total number of beggars in Brussels," said sociologist Stef Adriaenssens (KU Leuven). "15 years ago, virtually all Roma people who begged had a roof over their heads, even if their accommodation was usually low quality and overcrowded. But today they very often live on the streets. Even when they are begging with their very small children."
The survey found that of all the beggars that were questioned, about one in seven begged in the presence of one or more children. Additionally, this occurs almost exclusively among Romanian respondents.
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The researchers also selected 310 people who occasionally give something to beggars in Brussels.They showed them images of two beggars six times, with the question of who they would choose to give some change to.
Regardless of skin colour, people were found to be less inclined to give to Roma beggars compared to white ones. "Remarkably, this discrimination does not exist towards black beggars, and maybe even vice versa," the study found. "Subjects show an equal or even greater willingness to show solidarity with a black beggar."
