ANP State Secretary Coenradie
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 18:16
The government is presenting a bill to criminalize psychological violence. State Secretary Coenradie of Justice (PVV) promised that the House of Representatives, which had insisted on this in a debate.
Particularly in connection with femicide, there has been talk for some time about a separate penalty provision for psychological violence. Psychological violence is seen by experts as a step preceding femicide.
The previous government said that there are already enough options within the current legislation (via other criminal provisions) to tackle psychological violence. The investigation did announce.
The House was afraid that that investigation would take years. MPs emphasized that in the case of femicide and other forms of violence, complaints are often made about the late intervention of the police and emergency services, partly because reports are left to their own devices or are not appreciated.
Coenradie feels urgency
Coenradie said that the House’s call is clear, that she feels the urgency and that she will therefore work on a separate law. She would like to take into account the results of two ongoing studies, including the penalties for psychological violence abroad.
She expects those results in the spring of next year. The State Secretary further said that she wants psychological violence to be brought before the courts more often, through the current criminal provisions.
Reporting point
In the parliamentary debate on femicide, Coenradie also spoke positively about a proposal by D66 and VVD to create one “accessible reporting point” for signals about women who are in danger of being killed.
This would allow “red flags” to become more visible and action to be taken more quickly. The State Secretary sees the benefits of such a system and she wants to advocate for it, but she said she cannot yet make firm commitments about it.
What is femicide?
Femicide is another word for femicide and has different definitions. Often it concerns women who are killed by a partner or ex, sometimes it also concerns the intentional killing of someone just because she is a woman.
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) defines femicide more broadly, for example when a woman is killed in an ‘honor killing’ because she is a lesbian or no longer wants to work in prostitution.
Between 2018 and 2022, 217 women and girls died of violence in the Netherlands and in 80 percent of the cases the perpetrator was someone from the family.
Criminalizing Psychological Violence: A Step in the Right Direction?
Ah, the government strikes again, with a pitch for a new bill that aims to criminalize psychological violence. Because, let’s be honest, if it was a sport, some people would have Olympic gold medals by now! And who could blame State Secretary Coenradie of Justice for wanting to tackle it? In an era where you can get a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt but somehow “psychological torment” has been a grey area, it’s nice to see some legislative muscles flexing! No more “but she’s just being moody” when lives are at stake.
The Urgency is Real
In a recent debate, tossing around terms like “urgent” and “necessary” just like a bad magician throws around cards, Coenradie hopped on the bandwagon responding to the clear call from the House of Representatives. They’ve done the math (not an easy task for politicians, mind you) and figured out that psychological violence often comes before the awful act of femicide. I mean, go figure! Experts are practically wearing t-shirts that say, “Told you so!”
Now, the previous government opted for the classic “It’s not you, it’s the law” line, suggesting existing legislation is enough, or perhaps it was just a compliance issue with “tenuous threats”? Whatever it was, the current state of affairs shows that pushing matters off to the ‘next investigation’ just leaves victims hanging by a thread—if that.
Moving Forward with Penalty Provisions
Coenradie seems keen to take on the hefty quest of drafting a separate law, much like an ambitious chef trying to make a soufflé for the first time—just a tad tricky! She plans to factor in results from ongoing studies which, by the way, are set to deliver their findings next spring. So fingers crossed, folks! The officials might finally get the hint that as thrilling as suspense is for Hollywood, real-life victims do not want that kind of drama.
Accessible Reporting: Red Flags and Other Games
One intriguing proposal from D66 and VVD is the creation of a centralized reporting point for women at risk. Imagine ringing a special hotline—exclusively for those in danger! It’s like the bat signal of violence; it could seriously save lives. But Coenradie is still keeping the cards close to her chest, not fully committing to it just yet. The promise of visible “red flags” is a spark in the dark, but let’s hope it doesn’t end up being one of those flammable banners.
So, What Exactly is Femicide?
Let’s not forget, femicide isn’t just a fancy term thrown around at gender equality conferences. It occurs all too frequently, often characterized by tragic tales of women murdered by partners or exes simply because they exist—or no longer fit an outdated narrative. Imagine the audacity of asserting that a woman should be anything other than free!
According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), it also includes honor killings associated with various societal taboos, underscoring a sad culture of intolerance and ignorance. Between 2018 and 2022, an alarming 217 women and girls in the Netherlands died due to violence, with most cases being family-related. It’s like a horror movie that won’t end, but at least now, the plot is getting some much-needed rewrites.
The upcoming bill is a glimmer of hope in the long, arduous journey toward just governance. Will it work? Only time will tell. But let’s hope Coenradie and her team aren’t just waving around a bunch of legislative glitter without substance. For the sake of the victims and their families, it’s about time we started sprinkling some serious action instead of idle chatter!
