More than one in three Belgian couples are bicultural and encounter lack of understanding

Résumé détaillé

In more than one in three relationships in Belgium, one partner has a non-Belgian background. Over the past 30 years, the proportion of bicultural couples in the country has therefore doubled. This is according to a study published on Monday by the Knowledge Centre for Family Sciences at Odisee University of Applied Sciences.

More than one in three Belgian couples are bicultural and encounter lack of understanding

Families and relationships have never been as diverse as they are today. "That is part and parcel of the transition to a superdiverse society," says researcher Dirk Geldof. Together with his colleagues, he analysed population data covering all married and cohabiting couples in Belgium over the past 30 years. The most common pairing remains two partners of Belgian origin, followed by couples in which both partners have a Moroccan background. Belgian-Italian couples complete the top three. Turkish couples follow, with Belgian-French and Belgian-Dutch relationships in fifth and sixth place.

For now, the list still largely reflects ties with countries that have historically been sources of migration, although the share of relationships involving more recent countries of origin is also gradually increasing. The researchers found that bicultural relationships often come with downsides. "Couples face additional pressure from their families, in-laws, friends and wider society," emerged from a series of in-depth interviews. This adds another layer of complexity to bicultural relationships, which may partly explain the higher risk of separation or breakup. "They often encounter well-meaning questions, prejudice and implicit or explicit racism.

The researchers therefore call for more tailored support. According to the study, many family counsellors, relationship therapists and divorce mediators still too often work within "their own white, middle-class framework". There is a need, among other things, for more support workers with a migration background and for greater awareness-raising within existing support services.

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