Senseless violence

Senseless violence (Dutch: zinloos geweld) is a term frequently used by among others the media, politicians and NGOs to define the nature of several shocking events in Belgium and the Netherlands in recent years. The use of the term is politically charged and may not reflect any unique elements of any particular crime given that label.

The term expresses the perceived senselessness of the occurred acts of violence; the perpetrator and the victim do not know each other, the violence seems not to be motivated by greed or other common factors. The violence occurs suddenly and often under the influence of alcohol.