Education Domestic violence training raises awareness of femicide Written on Monday, October 13, 2025 Every eight days, a woman is killed in the Netherlands, often by her partner or ex-partner. Every year, an estimated 200,000 people fall victim to coercive control, which may lead to femicide. ‘As police officers, we see people in their homes. This allows us to detect possible signals, and take the first steps, if necessary’, according to Saskia Egging, lecturer at the Netherlands Police Academy. Recently, the Ministry of Justice and Security launched the campaign ‘Waar ben je?’ (Where are you?) to reduce the number of femicides. ‘The topic of femicide is explicitly included in the programme of our four-day training on domestic violence, child abuse, and stalking’, Saskia says. ‘In this training, we raise awareness of this topic among police officers. We start by asking the question: What is gender exactly? In a nutshell, we explain that people are equal, but not the same, and that women and children find themselves in a more vulnerable position.’ Dangerous position ‘After discussing all types of domestic violence, we zoom in on partner violence. In that context, we also discuss femicide. What is it exactly, when can we say that a woman is a victim of femicide and when isn’t she?’ ‘Coercive control is another topic that’s discussed. How do you recognise it, and what can you do about it? You’re dealing with a victim in a highly vulnerable, even dangerous position. We know that the actual moment of breaking up with someone is when things tend to escalate, and people may eventually get killed. How do you deal with that as a police officer? It’s very important to take potential victims seriously and listen carefully to what they say.’ Red flag ‘Research shows that cases of non-fatal strangulation may ultimately end in femicide. It’s a clear red flag. Often, such an incident leaves little to no visible traces of injury to the neck, so we really depend on the victim’s story. What questions should we be asking to find out what really happened? In addition, many studies show that femicide is not something that happens out of the blue. There is a pattern consisting of several stages, with murder as a possible final stage. Femicide may, for example, be preceded by a stage in which an ex-partner is stalking the victim. This is something that’s addressed in the training. We also familiarise participants with a tool to assess the risk of violence.’ Safety first ‘The Safety First vision document is a central theme in the training. In assessing any red flags and risk factors for femicide, the safety of potential victims is always our top priority. In this regard, we are highly dependent on the partners in our network, such as Veilig Thuis (Safe at Home), the Child Care and Protection Board, the Probation Service, the Public Prosecution Service and mental healthcare organisations. It’s very important to keep in close contact with them so we can immediately start collaborating on a case when necessary.’ ‘Sometimes things can escalate in no time. Making an immediate assessment of the urgency of the situation is of vital importance, as is taking safety precautions. We cannot let go of a case until we are absolutely certain it has been handed over correctly, also within the police organisation. The training always attracts highly dedicated police officers, who are really motivated to learn more about this topic. We’re very happy to have them.’