Belgium to open its first domestic violence shelter for men

While most domestic violence is directed at women, men can also be the victims of abuse. Figures from last year show that one in ten women in Belgium were victims of domestic violence, and one in 20 men, reports De Morgen. Belgium will therefore open a shelter for men next month near Mechelen, in Antwerp province, a first in the country.

The shelter will provide housing, care and social services for three months to male victims of domestic violence, whether physical or psychological, preferably in cooperation with the victim’s family.

For women there are nearly 40 refuges in Belgium, while there is also a demand for care among men. The most common reason is partner- or honour-related violence within the family as well as the extended family. "We have talked to men who are involved in a dispute because they have a relationship with a woman from another faith community, for example, while the family has already arranged a marriage with someone from their own community," says Yolanda Switten of the Centre for Social Work (CAW) Boom Mechelen Lier, which is behind the launch of the first Belgian refuge for men.