An adult is chatting online with my child and wants to meet them. Is that a crime, and what should I do?
In short
Yes, it can be. Proposing a meeting to a child in order to commit a sexual offence, and taking a concrete step towards it, is a crime (level 3). Keep the messages; report it to the police or Child Focus.
Video transcript
On your child's phone are messages from an adult you don't know: they ask your child to keep a secret and suggest meeting up. You want to delete it all. Not allowed: Proposing a meeting to a child for sexual purposes, and taking a concrete step towards it, is a level 3 crime. Asking a child for nude photos can be a separate crime. The right way: Keep the messages and the profile name. Listen to your child without blaming them. Report it to the police (101, emergency 112) or Child Focus (116 000). Consequences (Level 3 offence): Prison: 3 – 5 years; Work ban: Children, 1 – 20 years; Child Focus: 116 000.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Proposing a meeting, by any means, to someone under 18 with the intention of committing a sexual offence is a crime: approaching a minor for sexual purposes (grooming; Criminal Code art. 151, level 3).
- For it to be a crime, the proposal must also be followed by a concrete step that could lead to the meeting.
- Asking a child for sexual nude photos and receiving them can also be a separate crime: acquiring child sexual abuse images (art. 173, level 3).
- Talk calmly with your child about who they talk to online, and listen without blaming them.
- Keep the messages and the person's profile name; do not copy or share nude images yourself. In an emergency, call 112; for the police, call 101. You can reach Child Focus on 116 000.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- Because the victim is a child, the judge can also ban the person for 1 – 20 years from teaching or from working, even as a volunteer, in activities involving children (art. 190).
Legal basis:Code pénal livre II (Loi 29.2.2024), titre 3 ch. 3 « Les interdictions spécifiques et d…Strafwetboek Boek II, art. 190 (Justel NL)
- Court / prison
- Level 3: 3 – 5 years in prison; if there are mitigating circumstances, the judge can impose a lower-level penalty.
Legal basis:Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36
What does this level mean? Criminal Code, level 3: 3 – 5 years in prison. All penalty levels →
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- It may appear on your criminal record extract (uittreksel uit het strafregister / extrait de casier judiciaire); this can cause problems when you apply for jobs
Legal basis:FOD Justitie – Uittreksel strafregister + Sv. art. 595-596
- For serious or repeated offences, your residence permit can be withdrawn, and a citizenship application may be adversely affected
Legal basis:Vreemdelingenwet 15.12.1980, art. 13 §1, 21-22 + WBN, art. 15 §3
What do these terms mean?
- Criminal record
- The state register of convictions handed down by a court. The extract asked for a job, residence or nationality application comes from it. Municipal GAS fines are not entered in it.
Why does this rule exist?
Children do not always know who they are talking to online. The rule protects children at the stage of the meeting, before any abuse takes place.
Where can you go?
- Card StopIf you shared your card details, call straight away: 078 170 170
- SafeonwebForward suspicious messages to verdacht@safeonweb.be
- PoliceTo report threats, blackmail or stalking: 101 or your local police station
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 9 / 10 statements in an official source
- Checked: 23.10.2026
- Last checked
- 23.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 10 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Çocuğa cinsel amaçla yaklaşma, seviye 3 (md. 151)
Code pénal livre II (Loi 29.2.2024), Justel FR konsolide metin, art. 151 (madde numarası: Justel NL inhoudstafel) - Found in an official source
Reşit olmayan: 18 yaşını doldurmamış kişi (md. 79, 1°)
Code pénal livre II (Loi 29.2.2024), Justel FR konsolide metin, art. 79 (madde numarası: Justel NL inhoudstafel) - Found in an official source
Öneriyi buluşmaya götürebilecek maddi eylemler izlemeli (md. 151)
Code pénal livre II (Loi 29.2.2024), Justel FR konsolide metin, art. 151 (madde numarası: Justel NL inhoudstafel) - Found in an official source
Görüntü edinmek seviye 3 (md. 173)
Code pénal livre II (Loi 29.2.2024), Justel FR konsolide metin, art. 173 (madde numarası: Justel NL inhoudstafel) - Reliable secondary source
Child Focus 116 000
Child Focus (web araması özeti; sayfa bu oturumda açılamadı) - Found in an official source
Çocuk mağdur olduğunda 1–20 yıl çocuklarla ilgili öğretim/iş/gönüllülük yasağı (cinsel suçlar bölümünün ortak hükümleri)
Code pénal livre II (Loi 29.2.2024), Justel FR konsolide metin, titre 3 ch. 3 « Les interdictions spécifiques et déchéances » (madde numarası bu metinde doğrulanamadı) - Found in an official source
Seviye 3: 3–5 yıl hapis; hafifletici sebeple seviye 2 veya 1
Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36 - Found in an official source
Mahkûmiyet adli sicile yansır
FOD Justitie – Uittreksel strafregister + Sv. art. 595-596 - Found in an official source
Ağır/tekrarlanan suçlarda oturum ve vatandaşlık etkisi (genel ifade)
Vreemdelingenwet 15.12.1980, art. 13 §1, 21-22 + WBN, art. 15 §3 - Found in an official source
Çalışma yasağı md. 190 (Specifieke verboden en ontzettingen)
Strafwetboek Boek II, art. 190 (Justel NL)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?