Three men detained in Antwerp over alleged assaults on unconscious women
Police in Antwerp have arrested three suspects accused of raping and sexually assaulting unconscious women, based on thousands of illicit images found on a computer.
An Antwerp police probe into sexual crimes intensified after a 50-year-old woman filed a complaint alleging her 41-year-old ex-partner filmed a sexual assault. A subsequent raid on his home seized digital devices that revealed thousands of images of unconscious women being raped or assaulted, some as early as 2008. The investigation expanded to identify two other men, aged 37 and 50, suspected of involvement in the recorded offenses.
All three suspects have been arrested; two remain in preventive detention while the 50-year-old will appear before a judge to determine his custody status. Victims, including former partners of the primary suspect, have filed complaints for incidents occurring between 2008 and 2011. Prosecutors are still assessing whether the women were drugged and the full scope of the crimes.
Why it matters
The case highlights serious alleged sexual violence and raises concerns about digital evidence handling in Belgium.
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