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Help us show what keeps repeating

Every story is unique. But from one case to the next, certain paths, difficulties and institutional failures keep repeating.

If you wish, a few questions about your own path will help us understand these realities, document them, and bring out findings that go beyond individual situations.

You are free to answer everything, only a few questions, or none at all. Your message reaches us either way.

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Respondent profile and the child’s situation

In what capacity are you filling in this questionnaire? — No answer — Protective parent (mother, father)Former victim of intrafamilial violence, now an adultRelative or third party who started or followed proceedings (grandparent, foster family, etc.)Other

Other capacity — please specify

How old was the child at the time of the reported events? — No answer — 0 to 3 years4 to 7 years8 to 12 years13 to 17 years

How old is the child now? — No answer — 0 to 3 years4 to 7 years8 to 12 years13 to 17 yearsAn adult at the time of answering

In which Belgian region or province did most of the proceedings take place? — No answer — Brussels-Capital Walloon BrabantHainautLiègeLuxembourgNamur AntwerpFlemish BrabantWest FlandersEast FlandersLimburg

Nature of the reported or established violence

What type(s) of violence were reported or suffered by the child?

Several answers possible.

Physical violence Psychological or verbal violence Serious neglect Sexual violence or incest Exposure to intimate partner violence (vicarious violence) Other

Other type of violence — please specify

What is the alleged perpetrator’s relationship to the child? — No answer — Father or stepfatherMother or stepmotherAnother family member (uncle, aunt, grandparent, cousin, etc.)A third party present in the household

Is there a history of violence within the couple? — No answer — Yes, without a complaintYes, with a complaintNo

What type of violence was it? — No answer — PsychologicalFinancialSexualPhysical

Civil and family track (family court)

Were proceedings brought before the family court? — No answer — YesNo (skip to the youth protection track)

How many family court hearings were held in this situation? — No answer — 1 to 2 hearings3 to 5 hearingsMore than 5 hearingsInterim (urgent) proceedings only

What residence arrangement has the judge currently set? — No answer — Equal shared residence (alternating weeks)Main residence with the protective parent, standard contact for the other parentRestricted or supervised contact in a contact centreContact and residence rights fully suspendedOther

Other arrangement — please specify

Was the family court informed of the violence, or of a criminal complaint against the child or another person? — No answer — Yes, from the start of the proceedingsYes, during the proceedingsNo

How did the family court take the allegations of violence into account? — No answer — The measures requested to protect the child were grantedThe allegations were minimised or dismissed for lack of criminal evidenceThe protective parent was accused of “parental alienation” or of false allegationsThe residence arrangement was kept unchanged despite the reports

Youth protection track (SAJ / SPJ / juvenile court)

Was a youth protection service involved? — No answer — Yes, the Service d’Aide à la Jeunesse (SAJ — voluntary youth support)Yes, the Service de Protection Judiciaire (SPJ — court-ordered youth protection)Yes, the juvenile court (juvenile judge)No (skip to the criminal track)

What action or guidance did those services propose? — No answer — Case dropped or no interventionEducational support set up within the familyThe child placed outside the familyReferral to the public prosecutor for a court-ordered decision

Criminal track (police, public prosecutor, criminal court)

Were any criminal proceedings started?

Several answers possible.

Complaint filed with the police (official report) Report to the public prosecutor Report by a professional third party (doctor, school, student guidance centre, etc.) No criminal proceedings to date

What is the current status of the criminal proceedings? — No answer — Complaint dropped by the public prosecutorInvestigation ongoing (investigating judge appointed)Summons before the criminal courtConviction of the perpetratorAcquittal or dismissal

If the complaint was dropped, what reason was given? — No answer — Insufficient charges or lack of evidenceOffence not establishedOther or unknown reason

The child being heard

Was the child heard as part of the proceedings?

Several answers possible.

Yes, a SALDUZ interview by the police Yes, heard by the family judge (right to be heard from age 12, or on request) Yes, a child psychiatric or court-appointed psychological assessment No, the child was never heard

Do you feel the child’s words and experience were taken into account? — No answer — FullyPartlyNot at all (the child’s words were discredited or ignored)

Impact and overall assessment

What was the financial impact of the legal proceedings on your household? — No answer — Low or covered (legal aid, pro deo)Moderate (under €5,000)Significant (€5,000 to €15,000)Major, causing debt (over €15,000)

What should the Belgian justice system have done differently, in your view, to better protect the child?