Is Ghent Safe for Women? Crime Rate in Ghent

Safety rating

Safe
4.2 /5

Women living in Ghent consider the safety level to be relatively high, with an overall safety rating of 4.2 out of 5.

Crime rating

Low
1.8 /5

Women living in Ghent consider the crime rate to be relatively low, with an overall crime rating of 1.8 out of 5.

Violence rating

2.5%

On average 2.5% percentage of women in Belgium have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner at some time in their life, according to OECD Data.

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Crime & Safety Statistics

Based on 34 experiences

Safety rating:

4.2/5Safe

Safety walking alone after dark:

3.6/5Safe

Safety using public transport:

4.4/5Safe

Crime rate:

1.8/5Low

Worries of being sexually harassed:

1.8/5A bit worried

Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped:

1.4/5Not at all worried

Worries of being physically attacked:

1.3/5Not at all worried

Worries of home broken and things stolen:

1.2/5Not at all worried

Worries of being mugged or robbed:

1.3/5Not at all worried

Worries of being kidnapped or murdered:

1/5Not at all worried

How safe is Ghent?

Laura

Laura

Besides some areas, Ghent is pretty safe. And even in the bit more sketchy neighborhoods, you are still very unlikely to be attacked or robbed. After dark you should be a little more careful, especially as a woman around some neighborhoods or in the party areas. There are cases of sexual harassment and assault but overall if you are a bit careful and speak up when something might happen, you should be safe. Most bars and clubs are very serious about keeping it a safe space so always let them know if someone is being inappropriate.

Posted: May 2, 2025
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For 2 years now I have been studying at university in Belgium and living in Ghent. Many nights I have had to go home alone, either because of rush hour or after a party. Of course it depends on where you stay, but I think the center is safe. I don't think you will have any problems during the daytime.

Posted: March 28, 2025
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Nicol

Nicol

Ghent is a very safe space! Very open for lgbtq+ community and also as a woman u can feel safe alone on the street. The whole Belgiul is a very safe country. You can feel welcome and we are looking forward to meet up with you! :-)

Posted: March 13, 2025
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Lena

Lena

Ghent is a really energetic and normally safe city. There are a lot of cozy cafes, shops... It's a student city, so the city is alive at night. You also have a lot of little and bigger parks in and around the city, to relax, play some games... these parks are the nicest in the summer.

Posted: February 28, 2025
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Ghent is overall safe and calm, sometimes at night in the city centre you can encounter some drunk people, but as long as u don't interact with it, they don't do u any harm. they usually just want to socialize.

Posted: February 15, 2025
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Ghent is a safe space for everyone of every sexuality and every race. We are very open and it's not a big city at all. The public transport is great but renting a bike will get you everywhere too. It doesn't really matter what you look like, you probably won't get attacked but ofcourse i can't promise anything.

Posted: January 26, 2025
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generally, the city is considered quite safe!! most of the incidents include pickpocketing or purse snatching, particularly in crowded areas and tourist hotspots.. it's a friendly place where locals are often willing to help tourists in need.

Posted: January 26, 2025
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Zoé

Zoé

Ghent is a pretty safe city. As a girl I’ve walked back home alone after nights out and I’ve felt safe but I would still prefer not going alone, just in case (but most of my friends do it usually or we walk together as 2 girls and we’re okay). It’s regulated and there usually aren’t many big crimes or violent news.

Posted: January 23, 2025
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Ine

Ine

Ghent is very lovely and vibrant city with lots of people around of all ages, gender and cultures. It’s always full of life and things to do. That means that there’s always someone around to help out if it would be necessary.

Posted: January 13, 2025
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I think Ghent is a very safe city to visit when solo traveling. The people here are very friendly and always open to have a chat. Also because it’s a student city, so there are a lot of young people everywhere.

Posted: January 4, 2025
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Is Ghent worth visiting?

Travel rating

4.4 /5

based on 12 experiences from female travelers

Julia

Julia

Netherlands

Solo travel

I went to Ghent for 3 days and stayed at the Upplink hostel. It was a great experience because the hostel has a lot of young people, it is in a perfect location and very well organized. The hostel staff were very friendly and gave me a city tour. The city is very beautiful and easy to get around because all the attractions are close by. The castle is definitely worth a visit. Try the Ghent Noses. The restaurants are expensive, and for a solo traveler with a very small salary, I think it is worth buying a sandwich at Carrefour for lunch 🤣

Posted: May 8, 2025
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Lucia

Lucia

France

Group travel

Even though it was a one-day trip, we tasted delicious beers, frites and hamburgers. The architecture of the city is magical and I assure you one day is enough to visit Ghent, we were 4 girls and we never felt insecure, nor rushed. One of the best quick trips to do!

Posted: April 6, 2025Experienced: September, 2024
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Meet locals in Ghent

Isis

Isis

About Me

Hi! I'm a busy student at the University of Ghent. Animals are my passion, more specifically horses. I enjoy loads of little projects and social activities. As a board member of a student organisation, I love to spend my evenings with friends in the city, doing activities or organising them. My hobbies and interests are very broad, from caring for my horse, to poledancing or ballroom dancing, to crocheting or reading a book (these last two are less prominent these days due to my busy schedule unfortunately). Travelling has always had a special place in my heart, I work hard throughout the year to finance my little trips with friends. More than 5 months spent without travelling makes me go crazy!🤪 Italy has a very special place in my heart and tends to be my go-to destination when I need an escape from daily life in Ghent!

Speaking

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Kayomi

Kayomi

About Me

hi! i’m kayomi, a 19 yo law student residing in Gent! i travel a lot through europe to meet likeminded people, because I appreciate meeting a diversity people from different countries and cultures

Speaking

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Safety in Belgium

Frequently asked questions

Is Ghent safe?

Women living in Ghent consider the safety level to be relatively high, with an overall safety rating of 4.2 out of 5.

Is Ghent safe to walk alone at night?

Women living in Ghent consider walking alone at night to be relatively safe, with an overall safety rating of 3.6 out of 5.

Is public transport safe in Ghent?

Women living in Ghent consider public transport to be relatively safe, with an overall safety rating of 4.4 out of 5.

What is the crime rate in Ghent?

Women living in Ghent consider the crime rate to be relatively low, with an overall crime rating of 1.8 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually harassed in Ghent?

Women living in Ghent consider the risk of being sexually harassed to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.8 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped in Ghent?

Women living in Ghent consider the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.4 out of 5

What is the risk of being physically attacked in Ghent?

Women living in Ghent consider the risk of being physically attacked to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.3 out of 5

What is the risk of burglary in Ghent?

Women living in Ghent consider the risk of burglary to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.2 out of 5

What is the risk of being mugged or robbed in Ghent?

Women living in Ghent consider the risk of being mugged or robbed to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.3 out of 5

What is the risk of being kidnapped or murdered in Ghent?

Women living in Ghent consider the risk of being kidnapped or murdered to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1 out of 5