The Vlaams Belang is shocked by the brutal moral facts in Ghent that led to the recent suicide of a fourteen-year-old girl.

Five suspects – young men, including two adults – have been arrested, but the Vlaams Belang already fears that they will soon be released with the help of "fopstraffen". "And that is not premature fear – we have plenty of examples from the recent past of young criminals who just walk free", say Vlaams Belang MPs Katleen Bury and Marijke Dillen. Earlier this year, it became so clear that the man who raped a 13-year-old girl and also filmed his act did not even get jail time. "We therefore demand higher minimum sentences for sex offences and it should be easier to bring underage offenders aged 16 and 17 before the regular court," he said. The Vlaams Belang hears with great sadness the coverage of the fourteen-year-old victim who was raped at the Wester cemetery in Ghent. The five perpetrators made images of the sex offences after which they were distributed. After seeing these images, the girl took her life away. The three juvenile offenders have already been placed in juvenile court. The adults were detained by the investigating judge. However, the party is once again knocking on the table to introduce tougher penalties for morality and warns against "lax fop penalties." Tougher sentences for underage offenders? "Those old enough to rape are old enough to go to court"And harsher sentences are urgently needed, the party believes, because online sexual exploitation has increased by 65 percent since the onset of the corona crisis, according to Child Focus. "And severe punishments are the primary and best form of prevention," says Marijke Dillen. "Unfortunately, we don't have this. The minimum penalties for moral offences must be increased, because the application of extenuating circumstances is also almost automatic." By comparison, five years in prison is the maximum sentence for a rape of an adult. For example, for a simple theft, the punishment is just as high. The party also believes that underage offenders aged 16 and 17 should appear in normal court more quickly and easily rather than before a juvenile court. "Those old enough to rape are old enough to stand before a real judge who can give real punishments," concludes Katleen Bury. Dillen and Bury say there will be corresponding bills in the Chamber and finally express their deep condolences to the victim's family.