Ministry of Justice and Security launches campaign against femicide: Where are you?

What starts as a beautiful love can turn into an unsafe relationship. After a quick start with excessive attention, the relationship gradually shifts to coercive control. The partner systematically dominates, threatens, and controls the victim. There are often signs that things are not going well, such as ignoring feelings, blackmail, manipulation, isolating from family and friends, or threats of violence. Even small changes in the victim can indicate coercive control. For example, canceling appointments at the last minute, suddenly stopping wearing makeup, or always having to be reachable for the (ex-)partner. Coercive control can also be accompanied by physical and sexual violence. This can escalate to deadly violence.

Recognizing signals is essential to take a stand against femicide. State Secretary Rutte of Justice and Security: “Survivors often say: ‘I wish I had seen it. I wish I had recognized the signals.’ Signals preceding femicide are often overlooked by friends, family, colleagues, or others in the environment. While femicide is one of the most predictable forms of murder. That’s why we are launching a campaign to help people recognize the signals and so-called red flags. We urge everyone: are you worried or do you recognize signals? Check your feelings. Ask for help and advice, even if you have doubts.”

Gea Godwaldt was killed by her husband in 2020 when she indicated she wanted a divorce. Her sister Barbara explains why recognizing the signals of coercive control is so important: “I saw up close how so-called loving attention gradually turned into fear and control. The relationship seemed very nice and romantic at first. And just like in most relationships with coercive control, it went quickly, so they moved in together fast.”

“At the same time, her choices were slowly restricted. It happened more and more often that Gea canceled an appointment at the last minute. Or that during an argument in the car, she couldn’t escape. Her husband also practiced gaslighting: he made Gea believe that her thoughts and feelings were incorrect, causing her to doubt herself. Only after her death did I realize how clear the signals were. I want to share this with everyone. Do you recognize signals of coercive control or violence? Contact Veilig Thuis for advice or help. Taking action can literally make the difference between life and death.”

Victims of domestic violence and child abuse must always be able to rely on protection and support. They deserve help at the right time, so they have the chance to build a safe life. In addition to this public campaign, the government is also working to increase professionals knowledge about coercive control and improve the criminal justice approach to psychological violence. Together with the police, the Public Prosecution Service, and Veilig Thuis, we are working on better documentation, so that signals and behavior patterns indicating coercive control are better included in the criminal justice file and can be used in a prosecution. The Ministry of Justice and Security is also preparing a bill to criminalize psychological violence, focusing on coercive control.

Additionally, the cabinet is investing in broader strengthening of the protection of victims of domestic violence and child abuse: more specialized prosecutors will be appointed, and police officers will receive better training. We will make safety more visible in custody and visitation cases, improve the use of temporary restraining orders, and work with municipalities to see how we can use the victim device more broadly. This is a device that signals the distance between the victim and the suspect/convicted person and is connected to the monitoring center of the probation service. With these steps, we are further advancing the approach to domestic violence and child abuse: for more safety, better protection, and quicker action.

Coercive control and femicide affect women and girls of all ages and backgrounds. By recognizing the signals, you can help stop the violence. Call Veilig Thuis: 0800 2000.

This can also be done anonymously. Or chat via www.veiligthuis.nl. Is there immediate danger? Always call 112.

The public campaign Where are you? raises awareness of the signals of coercive control and urges people to contact Veilig Thuis for help and advice. Where are you? is part of the measures taken by the government arising from the action plan Stop femicide!.

For this campaign, the Ministry of Justice and Security is working with all parties involved in tackling domestic violence and child abuse, including the ministries of VWS and OCW, Veilig Thuis, police, Public Prosecution Service, probation service, Child Protection Board, VNG, municipality of Amsterdam, GGD, and Blijf Groep. Tinder is also addressing (in)secure relationships during the campaign.