Belgium Investigates Alleged Drugging and Assault of 41 Women by Bar Managers

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Belgian authorities are probing a series of alleged sexual assaults affecting at least 41 women, with three bar managers identified as key suspects. Prosecutors revealed that victims' drinks, reportedly spiked with drugs such as ketamine, were often served in bars located in Kortrijk from December 2021 to December 2024.

According to Griet De Prest, a spokesperson for the Western Flanders public prosecutor's office, the suspects discussed the assaults amongst themselves and have been linked to the spiking incidents. One suspect has been arrested, another is set to appear before a judge, and a third was released amid a series of arrests. The suspects are facing charges that include rape, sexual assault, and the illegal administration of harmful substances.

Tom Janssens, another spokesperson for the prosecutor's office, noted that the young women typically consumed alcohol shots with an amaretto flavor before awakening in unfamiliar settings with clear signs of sexual abuse. Belgium’s Interior Minister, Bernard Quintin, labeled the incidents "unacceptable" and expressed concern over the accessibility of drugs like ketamine, stating, "Women must be able to go out safely, wherever they want, whenever they want."

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