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Safety · Belgium
Updated September 2026

✊ I was attacked or threatened because of who I am — who do I report it to?

Direct answer

Violence, threats or damage motivated by origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability is a hate crime with higher penalties, and it is under-reported — which is why reporting matters. Politie — Police-on-web (police.be): say explicitly that you believe the motive was hate, and ask for it to be recorded as such. Unia / Instituut voor de gelijkheid van vrouwen en mannen (0800 12 800) — the equality body — supports victims, monitors how the police handle it and can take a discrimination case in parallel. Slachtofferhulp (CAW) / Commissie voor financiële hulp aan slachtoffers (0800 13 500) offers free support, also if you decide not to report.

Call firstPolitie — Police-on-web
Report toUnia / Instituut voor de gelijkheid van vrouwen en mannen
If that failsSlachtofferhulp (CAW) / Commissie voor financiële hulp aan slachtoffers

🗣️ What to say

"On [date] at [place] I was [attacked / threatened / insulted] by [description]. They said [words] which show it was because of my [origin / religion / orientation / …]. Witnesses: [names]. I want this recorded as a hate crime."

🪜 Step by step

  1. Safety and medical careGet out of the situation; see a doctor and ask for injuries to be documented.
  2. EvidencePhotos, the exact words used, witnesses' contacts, camera locations nearby.
  3. Report to Politie — Police-on-webUse the words "hate crime" or "bias motive". Ask for a copy of the report and the case number.
  4. Tell Unia / Instituut voor de gelijkheid van vrouwen en mannenEquality bodies track these cases, support victims, and can intervene if the police do not take it seriously.
  5. Support: Slachtofferhulp (CAW) / Commissie voor financiële hulp aan slachtoffersCounselling, help with the process, compensation claims — free.

📇 All contacts

Politie — Police-on-webOnline report, case number immediatelyAlways — the basis for bank, insurer and platform🔗 www.police.be/nl/e-loket
Unia / Instituut voor de gelijkheid van vrouwen en mannenFree reporting, investigation, mediation on discriminationDiscrimination at work, housing, services📞 0800 12 800🔗 www.unia.be
Slachtofferhulp (CAW) / Commissie voor financiële hulp aan slachtoffersFree support and accompaniment, compensationAfter any crime📞 0800 13 500🔗 www.slachtofferzorg.be
Bureau voor Juridische Bijstand (pro Deo) / JustitiehuisFree first-line advice and legal aid lawyerWhen you cannot afford a lawyer🔗 www.advocaat.be/nl/juridische-bijstand

❓ Frequently asked

The police did not record the motive

Ask in writing for the motive to be added; involve Unia / Instituut voor de gelijkheid van vrouwen en mannen. Recording the bias motive matters for the charge and for statistics.

It was online

Hate speech online is prosecutable; save screenshots with URLs and report to the platform and the police (see the online-harassment page).

I do not want to report but need help

Slachtofferhulp (CAW) / Commissie voor financiële hulp aan slachtoffers and community organisations support you without a report. Some countries have third-party reporting so the incident is counted anonymously.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “report hate crime Belgium”
  • “racist attack police report”
  • “homophobic assault what to do”
  • “equality body hate crime support”
  • “hate speech online report Belgium”

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

🚻Discrimination at work→💻Online harassment→🆔Identity theft→📲Family emergency scam→

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