Research Education ‘Violence against women occurs in all layers of society’ Written on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 ‘Many people don’t realise just how widespread domestic violence is. It occurs in all layers of society. So also in your own circles’, says Janine Janssen, professor in Safety in Dependency Relationships at the Netherlands Police Academy. Today sees the start of this year’s Orange the World campaign to end violence against women and girls. The campaign, an initiative of UN Women, takes place each year and runs from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day. Alert In her work, Janine focuses on the question of how police officers should deal with violence in dependency relationships. She explores how we could improve police officers’ and police trainees’ skills in dealing with this issue, and how we could help them recognise and tackle these types of violence earlier. ‘Relationship breakups and other far-reaching changes are risk points. Precisely at these times, there may be a high risk of violence. So we need to be alert. Often a series of incidents occur in the time leading up to someone seeking help. Shame plays a major role in victims’ reluctance to report domestic violence. We have an ideal image of relationships and families: we want everything to seem perfect. But there’s a lot that can go wrong behind closed doors.’ ❛❛ Social media and apps allow partners to follow, manipulate, or intimidate each other. That makes it harder than ever to detach yourself. Digital control ‘Digital control also plays a role nowadays’, Janine notes. ‘Social media and apps allow partners to follow, manipulate, or intimidate each other. That makes it harder than ever to detach yourself. Women are often afraid of revenge, or don’t know where to turn. Economic, material, or emotional dependency makes women even more vulnerable.’ ‘Yet it is crucial to seek help. People can turn to the police or Veilig Thuis (Dutch centre for reporting domestic violence), and there are an increasing number of online platforms. Help is there not only for victims, but also for perpetrators. Men are not just the problem: they also need to be part of the solution.’ Recognising the signs ‘We will never entirely eliminate domestic violence, but that doesn’t mean we have to accept it. As a researcher, I collaborate closely with operational police officers to tackle such issues. Research must be useful in practice: I join my operational colleagues in thinking about tools and methods to help professionals to recognise the signs better – including the digital signs – and to act quicker. This kind of violence happens in the most intimate of circles, namely in people’s homes. Home should be a safe space. If this is not the case, it erodes the basis of our existence. Safety in the home is crucial for good quality of life.’