“MOMENT GPS app maps women’s feelings of insecurity in Brussels”

Two-thirds of women in Brussels regularly feel unsafe at night. More than 75% avoid certain streets, take longer routes, or get off the metro one stop earlier or later. “The impact on women’s daily lives is significant,” says VUB researcher Petrus te Braak. Together with Professor Theun Pieter van Tienoven, he is working on an innovative citizen science project: the MOMENT GPS app, which maps where, when, and why women feel unsafe in Brussels. Following an initial test on the VUB campus, the official rollout across Brussels is set for early 2026.
 

Want to try it yourself on the VUB campus? Download the MOMENT GPS app via
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Why This Research Matters
“Brussels — and Belgium — rank among the top 10 places in the world where the gap in perceived safety between men and women is the widest,” says Te Braak, researcher on the MOMENT GPS study, part of the TOR research group at the Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies (BRISPO). “If we want to make public spaces safer and more accessible, we need to start with the group that feels most restricted: women.
”Despite widespread public outrage following high-profile incidents, structural solutions remain lacking. “Existing research also falls short. Cities typically conduct surveys every few years asking residents how (un)safe they felt over the past three months. But such figures reveal little about the causes — let alone offer practical solutions.”
Other studies focus on reported incidents. “But smaller incidents are rarely reported these days,” adds research supervisor Van Tienoven. “For many women, feeling unsafe is simply part of daily life. It’s a troubling development that this project aims to highlight — and tackle.”

“An interesting example is the L28 Park near Tour & Taxis,” Te Braak explains. “Under the bridge, there’s a set of outdoor fitness equipment where groups of young men gather from early in the morning. Next to it runs a narrow path linking the canal district with Belgica and Bockstael. It’s one of the locations most frequently flagged as unsafe. You get catcalled, there’s nowhere to go, and people could jump out from the bushes... Simply removing the equipment would be a quick win.”
Public squares known for drug-related crime also emerged during the research. “Take Bethlehem Square, for example — during the day it’s a play area for children, but after school hours it’s taken over by drug dealers. These spots attract a lot of attention from the Brussels regional government. But interestingly, if you set aside the drug issue, they actually feel relatively safe: they’re clean, with clear sightlines — after all, dealers need to be able to make a quick getaway.”
The situation is very different around Brussels North Station and in parts of Kuregem. “There, multiple problems come together: loitering youths, litter, drugs, poor visibility, and parked cars you could be dragged into... There may be less serious crime occurring, which means they get less attention. But because of the combination of risk factors, these areas feel particularly unsafe.”

From Campus Test Phase to Brussels Rollout
Since May, a test phase has been running on the VUB campus in Etterbeek. “Unfortunately, the response has been limited,” says Te Braak. “App fatigue plays a role. On top of that, most VUB students and staff don’t feel unsafe on campus. Only a small subgroup — those who use the campus differently, for instance during student parties — reported occasionally feeling unsafe. Once again, this confirms how crucial timing is.” The next step is launching the app to the wider public. “We’re planning to roll it out in Brussels in January 2026,” says Van Tienoven. “Through local action groups and media attention, we hope to generate enough support.” How quickly the results come in depends on participation. “May 2026 would be ideal,” Van Tienoven adds. “But we’ll need enough data to draw meaningful conclusions. In the first phase, we’ll cast the net wide and gather broad data; after that comes in-depth analysis and public debate.”
 

“Our project aims to make safety issues visible and offer practical tools to address them.”
 

By and For Citizens
This project was deliberately designed as a citizen science initiative. “That means citizens help shape it (through focus groups), carry it out (by generating data via the app), and give it value,” explains Van Tienoven. “Once we’ve gathered enough data, we’ll return it to the people through a public dashboard that shows, in real time, how safe or unsafe different locations feel. Citizens can use that information to lobby local authorities for changes to public spaces — such as better lighting, more greenery, or redesigns.”
Or even more powerfully: they can use those insights to launch their own initiatives to improve safety in their neighbourhoods. “Policy change at higher levels often takes time,” Van Tienoven notes.
Change is possible, as the example of Grisardplein in Kuregem shows. While the surrounding area struggles with drug crime and street litter, the square itself stands out as remarkably well-kept. “A group of residents took matters into their own hands — they planted greenery, cleaned up graffiti, pick up litter daily, and organise community events,” says Te Braak. “The square has come back to life. My hypothesis is that this kind of approach works better than repression — though we don’t yet have data to prove it. Our project aims to make safety issues visible and offer practical tools for change.”