Digitale media kunnen ingezet worden voor het plegen van geweld in de verschillende fasen van een partnerrelatie, zoals de datingfase, het onderhouden van de relatie maar ook tijdens en na het beëindigen van de relatie. In de context van digitaal partnergeweld kunnen beelden en misbruik van beelden een belangrijke rol spelen. In deze bijdrage bieden we een overzicht van de vormen van digitaal partnergeweld die kunnen voorkomen in verschillende fasen van de relatie en de stand van kennis op dit gebied. Ook bespreken we de impact die dit heeft op het slachtoffer, welke copingmechanismen ze kunnen inzetten, waaronder het inschakelen van het persoonlijke sociale netwerk en eventuele professionele hulp. De rol van de politie en andere stakeholders wordt eveneens toegelicht.@en

Since heating-related energy consumption is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for a large part of domestic energy use in Europe, reducing heating-related energy consumption has great potential to reduce Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions. This study examines which factors determine people's intention to decrease heating-related energy usage, specifically lowering the temperature in winter. It was part of a larger European project focused on promoting energy reduction. This study presents a smaller-scale model tested among 363 individuals from five pilot countries, i.e., Belgium (n = 58), Croatia (n = 82), Germany (n = 105), Greece (n = 33), and Portugal (n = 85). We applied three robust theoretical frameworks: the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Value Belief Norm Theory, and the Prototype Willingness Model. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to ensure construct validity, followed by a structural equation model. Our findings suggest that willingness (from the Prototype Willingness Model) is the most important predictor in explaining someone’s intention to reduce heating-related energy consumption. Additionally, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and attitudes (part of Theory of Planned Behaviour) also play an important role in predicting the intention to reduce energy consumption. Lastly, personal moral norms (from the Value Belief Norm Theory) have a significant impact, but their effect is moderate compared to the other predictors.

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Cyber dating abuse (CDA) concerns the use of digital technology to control, monitor, and hurt one’s intimate partner. CDA can have profound detrimental outcomes, such as mental health problems. As such, it is important to identify intrapersonal factors that may explain these behaviors. Previous research suggests that one such factor is the personality cluster of Dark Triad traits (DTT), comprising Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Additionally, DTT and CDA perpetration have both been linked to poor self-control ability, but these relationships have not yet been tested together in one model. As such, the present study examines if individuals’ poor self-control ability mediates the relationship between the DTT and CDA perpetration. To test these associations, we conducted a survey study among a representative sample of Belgian adults (n = 1,144; Mage = 47.66 years; 51.3% female). Findings from correlation analyses revealed that all three DTT were individually associated with CDA perpetration, such that higher scores on these traits corresponded with more CDA perpetration. Additionally, pathway analyses from structural equation modeling revealed that individuals’ poor self-control ability fully explained the relationship between Machiavellianism and narcissism and CDA perpetration, and partially explained the relationship between psychopathy and CDA perpetration. As our findings suggest that self-control plays an instrumental role in explaining why individuals control and monitor their partner via digital technology, prevention and intervention efforts should seek ways to improve individuals’ self-control ability in situations that may trigger such harmful interpersonal behaviors, particularly among individuals who exhibit Dark Triad personality traits.@en

As romantic relationships in young adulthood (18–25 years) are frequently characterized by experimentation and risk-taking, this could make young adults particularly vulnerable to experience sexual harassment by a dating or committed partner. This study examines young adults’ victimization and perpetration experiences of online and in-person sexual harassment with their dating or committed partner, and explores the role of the Dark Triad personality traits. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 458 young adults, 371 of whom were in a romantic relationship (M _age= 20.80, SD _age = 1.51, 25.6% men). Our findings revealed that all measured sexual harassment experiences were significantly more prevalent among young adults in dating relationships compared to those in committed relationships. Furthermore, in both relationship types, all online and in-person experiences of sexual harassment were significantly linked, indicating that these harmful experiences occur across contexts. Additionally, all victimization and perpetration experiences were significantly linked in both relationship types, meaning that some young adults were both victims and perpetrators of these behaviors. Lastly, we found that sexual harassment was linked to narcissism in dating relationships, but to Machiavellianism in committed relationships, indicating that different strategies may explain these behaviors.

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Sexting concerns the act of sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages or photos (i.e., ‘sexts’) through electronic means. When sexts are received or forwarded without the consent of the original sender, this is called non-consensual sexting. Our study set out to increase our understanding as to why individuals engage in non-consensual sext forwarding, by examining the role of sexting intentions, attitudes, and experience with non-consensual sext receiving. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey among a sample of 218 Belgian adults. Of this total sample, 169 (Mage = 25.85 years, 73.4% women) respondents had at least once received a sext from someone, resulting in a subsample of 169 respondents for the present study. Correlation analyses showed that non-consensual forwarding of sexts was significantly positively linked to stronger attitudes towards the risks of sexting and to experiences of non-consensual sext receiving. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that non-consensual sext forwarding was significantly linked to negative attitudes about sexting, but that this significant link disappeared when non-consensual sext receiving was included as a predictor in the model. Thus, our findings show that non-consensual sext forwarding is primarily linked to non-consensual sext receiving, suggesting that individuals who experience non-consensual sexting as a recipient are inclined to non-consensually forward a sext themselves regardless of their attitudes about (the risks of) sexting. This suggests that non-consensual sexting behaviours may be driven by social learning and/or impulsive decision-making processes, indicating an important avenue for future research.@en

Reducing heating-related energy consumption is vital in Europe, where it accounts for a significant portion of domestic energy usage. We studied the factors that influence reduced heating-related consumption by using three theoretical frameworks: the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Value Belief Norm theory, and the Prototype Willingness Model. Our sample consisted of 3098 people from 29 European countries. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to verify whether our observed variables measure our latent factors, followed by a structural equation model that incorporated these three behavioural models. We find that perceived behavioural control, subjective norms and attitudes (as part of the Theory of Planned Behaviour) are significant predictors of intent to reduce consumption. However, perceived behavioural control was not statistically significantly associated with behaviour. Environmental concern had a more significant influence on attitudes towards energy reduction than bill consciousness. Attitude was additionally significantly associated with fear of losing comfort and energy knowledge. Moreover, personal moral norms (as part of Value Belief Norm Theory) and willingness (as part of the Prototype Willingness Model) contributed to explaining the intent to reduce consumption, while willingness was also associated with behaviour.@en

An exponential amount of academic research has been dedicated to the safety culture concept, but still, no consensus has been reached on its definition and content. In general, safety culture research lacks an interdisciplinary approach. Furthermore, although the concept of safety culture is characterised by complexity and multifacetedness, the safety culture concept has been characterised by reductionism, where models and theories simplify the concept in order to better grasp it, leading to confined approaches. In this article, the multifacetedness of safety culture is acknowledged, and the topic is addressed from a safety science perspective, combining insights from multiple academic disciplines. An integrative and comprehensive conceptual framework to assess safety culture in organisations is developed, taking into account the limitations of existing models, as well as the needs of the work field. This conceptual framework is called the ‘Integrated Safety Culture Assessment’ (ISCA), where the ‘assessment’ refers to its practical usability. The practical rendition of ISCA can be used to map the safety culture of an organisation and to formulate recommendations in this regard, with the ultimate goal of bringing about a change towards a positive safety culture. The comprehensiveness of ISCA lies in the inclusion of technological factors, organisational or contextual factors and human factors interacting and interrelating with each other, and in considering both observable or objective safety-related aspects in an organisation, and non-observable or subjective safety-related aspects. When using ISCA, organisational safety culture is assessed in an integrative way by using a variety of research methods involving the entire organisation, and by taking into account the specific context of the organisation.@en

Partner phubbing (Pphubbing) concerns the act of ignoring a romantic partner during a conversation by paying attention to the mobile phone. In previous research, Pphubbing has been associated with several negative relationship outcomes, such as relationship dissatisfaction. In this study, we propose that another consequence of Pphubbing may be that the partner who is being phubbed (i.e., phubbee) engages in electronic partner surveillance (EPS) behaviors to check on their partner's online activities. We propose that this relationship is mediated by perceived partner responsiveness and anxiety. Data were collected via online survey among an adult sample in Belgium (n = 346; Mage = 40.5 years; 75.7% women). Analyses revealed that a relationship exists between Pphubbing and EPS, and that it can (partially) be explained through the chained mediation pathway of partner responsiveness and anxiety. Specifically, Pphubbing decreases perceived partner responsiveness, which in turn increases anxiety in the phubbee. Consequently, the phubbee may resort to partner surveillance to cope with these feelings and to decrease uncertainty. Our findings imply that research and practice related to digital intrusion within romantic relationships should consider (the interplay between) intra- and interpersonal factors in trying to explain the occurrence and impact of these harmful digital behaviors.@en

Safety climate and safety culture are important research domains in risk and safety science, and various industry and service sectors show significant interest in, and commitment to, applying its concepts, theories, and methods to enhance organizational safety performance. Despite the large body of literature on these topics, there are disagreements about the scope and focus of these concepts, and there is a lack of systematic understanding of their development patterns and the knowledge domains on which these are built. This article presents a comparative analysis of the literature focusing on safety climate and safety culture, using various scientometric analysis approaches and tools. General development patterns are identified, including the publication trends, in terms of temporal and geographical activity, the science domains in which safety culture and safety climate research occurs, and the scientific domains and articles that have primarily influenced their respective development. It is found that the safety culture and safety climate domains show strong similarities, e.g., in dominant application domains and frequently occurring terms. However, safety culture research attracts comparatively more attention from other scientific domains, and the research domains rely on partially different knowledge bases. In particular, while measurement plays a role in both domains, the results suggest that safety climate research focuses comparatively more on the development and validation of questionnaires and surveys in particular organizational contexts, whereas safety culture research appears to relate these measurements to wider organizational features and management mechanisms. Finally, various directions for future research are identified based on the obtained results@en

This paper describes changes in police recorded crime rates and changes in patterns of self-reported domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 - December 2020) in Belgium.@en

The current study explores the role of individual and environmental determinants on students’ fear of crime. Based on a large-scale survey among students of a Belgian university (n = 1,463), the relationship between perceived social and physical disorder and the three dimensions of fear of crime (perceived risk of victimization, feelings of anxiety, avoidance behaviour) is examined. Support was found for a relationship between perceived social and physical disorder and perceived risk of victimization. Moreover, a relationship was found between students’ perception of social disorder and anxiety and students’ perception of physical disorder and avoidance behaviour. Based on the results, this study suggests that preventing or reducing visible signs of disorder on campus should inevitably be included in the university’s security policy. This research offers universities more insight in the determinants of students’ fear of crime and potential measures to increase their (perception of) safety.

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As policy makers are developing new alternative strategies to prevent bicycle theft, a nudging approach could provide useful insights in this field. In the current study, two different nudges were implemented at a selection of bicycle parking facilities in the neighborhood of a Belgian university campus. To measure the effectiveness of the nudges, a multi-method approach was used with a combination of observations (n = 3963) and questionnaires (n = 197). The results showed that both nudges had a positive impact on cyclists’ locking behavior. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that nudging can be a rather cheap and easy way to improve secure behavior. However, concerns such as the limitations of increased awareness on behavior and the excessive focus on the victim need to be taken into account when implementing nudges in the field of security.

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Today, the need to deal with workplace security threats has become an important matter for many organisations. While companies have invested in technological and organization measures, the human processes behind these techniques are often ignored. However, employees’ awareness of security procedures and policy of the organisation may strengthen or weaken the implemented security measures. This article assessed in an empirical way employees’ security awareness and has a twofold aim. First, a study was conducted to examine the associations between three dimensions of employees’ security awareness. By the use of a survey (n = 1,443; mean age = 42.5; 60.4% female, 30.4% male), the relationship between employees’ knowledge about security procedures and policy, the attitudes towards security and the self-reported security behaviour is measured. Second, a case study was carried out to examine the impact of training sessions on employee's level of security awareness. By organizing an awareness training, its effect on employees’ knowledge, attitude and behaviour was measured (n = 74; mean age = 51.7; 70.3% female, 29.7% male). While the first study found a significant relationship between employees’ knowledge and attitude and their self-reported behaviour, the second study showed that the training session had a positive effect on employees’ level of security awareness. Based on the findings from both studies, recommendations for practice and future research are presented.@en

The global spread of the coronavirus has drastically impacted people's lives. Due to governmental lockdown measures, most people's work and social life were suddenly confined to their own home. For partners who lived together, this could put serious strain on their relationship, which could result in conflicts and violence. In this study, we aimed to identify which groups of people particularly experienced verbal partner violence during the pandemic lockdown, and how stress regarding the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in the occurrence of partner conflicts. Through an online survey, which was distributed through online (social) media channels, we gathered data from 2889 people in Flanders, of which 1491 people lived together with their partner during the lockdown. We found that partner violence during the lockdown particularly occurred among women; younger age groups; students; people whose partner was long-term unemployed or was (temporarily) unemployed due to the pandemic; parents of children younger than 18 years; people without the ability to seclude themselves from other members of the household; and people with less personal contacts. In addition, higher levels of stress about the COVID-19 pandemic itself and lower levels of stress about potential coronavirus infection were associated with more partner violence during the lockdown. These findings provide important information for policy makers and health professionals, offering guidance to direct greater resources in prevention and intervention efforts towards higher risk individuals and groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.@en

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected people’s lives and relationships. On March 13, 2020, the Belgian government issued lockdown measures which constrained most people’s work and social life to the confines of their own home. For couples who lived together, being locked down together potentially placed a lot of stress on their relationship. As relationship stress can have detrimental (mental) health outcomes, it is important to identify which relationship aspects were particularly stressful during the pandemic lockdown. The present study aimed to investigate whether perceived relationship stress about five specific relationship aspects (i.e., conflict, diverging attitudes, restrictions, less connectedness, and neglect) differed before and during the lockdown, and between men and women. We conducted an online survey study among 2,889 respondents between April 3 and 17, 2020. A total of 1,491 respondents (76.3% female, M _age = 41.23) lived together full-time with their partner at the time. Our findings indicate that during the lockdown, women experienced more relationship stress than men because of conflict and diverging attitudes within their relationship. Furthermore, both men and women experienced more stress during the lockdown than before because they felt restricted in their relationship. Lastly, women reported significantly more perceived relationship stress during the pandemic lockdown compared to before because of conflicts they experienced within their relationship. Our findings provide important information for policymakers and health-care professionals to help couples who endure relationship hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown or in possibly similar situations in future crises.

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Digital media offer ample possibilities for individuals to control and monitor their dating or romantic partner and to make hurtful comments. Although online psychological intimate partner violence has received increased research attention over the past few years, much remains unknown about its nature and its association with offline psychological intimate partner violence, especially among the adult population. Previous research remains inconclusive regarding the gendered nature of online intimate partner violence, and differences among various age groups have yet to be examined. The present study is intended to address these gaps in the literature by assessing the co-occurrence of psychological intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration, and the overlap between offline and online forms thereof. We conducted a large-scale survey study among a representative sample of 1,587 adults between the ages of 18 and 94 (M = 48.1, SD = 18.6), of which 1,144 (M _age = 47.7 years, 51.3% female) were in relationships at the time of data collection (2019). Our study findings indicate that experiences of online and offline psychological intimate partner violence tend to co-occur, as do victimization and perpetration experiences. Furthermore, we found that men were more often victims of both online and offline psychological partner violence than women, and women were more often perpetrators of both forms of psychological intimate partner violence than men. Younger age groups reported more victimization and perpetration of online and offline psychological intimate partner violence than older respondents. The results of our study underscore the need for age-appropriate intimate partner violence prevention.

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