Valerie Van Peel of the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) called for stricter contact bans for child abuse perpetrators on May 17, 2026. The proposal seeks to prohibit offenders from approaching any children, including their own, citing a systemic failure in the justice system that allows such criminals to avoid adequate punishment.
The Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) has moved to tighten the legal constraints placed on individuals convicted of child abuse, proposing a mandatory contact ban designed to isolate offenders from all minors. The push comes as part of a broader effort by the party to address perceived gaps in the Belgian judicial system regarding the protection of children and the sentencing of offenders.
N-VA Proposal for Contact Bans
The core of the N-VA’s proposal is the implementation of a strict omgangsverbod
, or contact ban, for those found guilty of child maltreatment or abuse. According to reporting from HLN and other regional outlets, this measure would legally prevent perpetrators from being in the vicinity of children. Unlike some existing restrictions that may be limited to the specific victim or a particular environment, the N-VA’s proposed ban would be broad in scope.
A significant and controversial aspect of the proposal is its application to the offenders’ own families. The N-VA argues that the safety of children must supersede parental rights in cases of abuse. The proposed measure would mean that perpetrators are prohibited from approaching children even their own children
, removing the automatic assumption of parental access following a conviction for child abuse.
Critique of Judicial Leniency
Valerie Van Peel, representing the N-VA, has framed the current state of the justice system as an environment where child abusers face disproportionately low risks of severe consequences compared to other types of criminals. Van Peel’s rhetoric suggests that the current legal framework is failing to provide a sufficient deterrent or a guarantee of public safety.
If you want to get away with it as a criminal, you’d best abuse a child. It is terrible to say, but it is so.
Valerie Van Peel, N-VA
This assessment indicates a political belief that the judiciary is too lenient toward child abusers, potentially due to the complexities of proving such crimes or a lack of stringent sentencing guidelines. By highlighting this disparity, the N-VA is positioning the contact ban not just as a safety measure, but as a necessary correction to a skewed penal system.
Implications for Child Protection
The N-VA’s focus on a blanket contact ban reflects a shift toward a zero-tolerance approach to child maltreatment. By targeting the proximity of offenders to any child, the party aims to eliminate the possibility of recidivism and provide a higher layer of security for the general population of minors.
The proposal underscores a tension between the rights of the convicted and the protective mandate of the state. In the Belgian legal context, the removal of access to one’s own children is a severe restriction. However, the N-VA’s stance suggests that the risk posed by these offenders outweighs the standard legal protections typically afforded to parents.
As of May 17, 2026, the proposal remains a political demand from the N-VA to increase the severity of punishments and the rigor of post-conviction monitoring. The effectiveness of such a ban would depend on the mechanisms of enforcement and the ability of the state to monitor the movements of offenders to ensure they do not violate the proximity restrictions.
