What does this research mean for the field?

In late medieval Bruges, an increase in rape prosecutions and severe punishments was driven by deep-rooted civic anxieties about social disorder, leading to a standardized policy that framed rapists as brutal outsiders threatening urban prosperity. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This article explores the rise in rape prosecutions in late medieval Bruges and its implications for social order.

June 12, 2026Urban HistoryOpen Access

‘Not to be tolerated in a city of such high repute’: the prosecution of rape as a window on crime, deviance and social order in late medieval Bruges (1490–1537)

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Authors

LBLieze BertierKU Leuven

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Implication

Historical analysis reveals how rape prosecutions reflect urban social order and community values in Bruges, 1490–1537.

Key Points

This article explores the rise in rape prosecutions in late medieval Bruges and its implications for social order.
Examined final judgments by city magistrates regarding rape prosecutions.
Analyzed the impact of these cases on civic policies and community perceptions of deviance.
Studied how societal fears shaped responses to sexual violence.
Increased prosecutions for rape in Bruges reflect societal anxieties about disorder and deviance.
Death penalty imposed by magistrates showcases a strict approach to sexual violence, emphasizing urban repute.
Defined the 'criminal-rapist' as an outsider, amplifying societal intolerance towards sexual crimes.

Cite This Study

Lieze Bertier (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a2ba3fa8101cf8926f027ed https://doi.org/10.1017/s096392682610100x

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