Dokhuisdialoog - Femicide & vrouwenrechten

Violence behind the front door

Home should be a place of safety. Yet, statistically, women are at the greatest risk of abuse or worse in their own homes. Domestic violence knows no boundaries: it transcends culture, religion, and socioeconomic background. One-sided violence is often recognizable and follows similar patterns, regardless of context.

Clarinda's story

Anne-Marije van den Bersselaar addresses intimate partner violence through coercive control. She discusses how interpersonal power and control mechanisms work and shares the story of her sister Clarinda , who was murdered by her ex-partner in 2021. The focus is on recognizing the signs of intimate partner violence. Gender stereotypes and a cultural context in which violence can be normalized are also addressed.

Systemic deficiencies

Clarinda 's story highlights shortcomings in legislation, care, and protection structures in the Netherlands. Clarinda has a background in Social Studies and Criminology and worked in the healthcare sector on children's rights. Yet, she felt unsafe, even after seeking professional help. Her story raises questions about how the system functions and why coercive control more often affects women.

Dialogue and joint exploration

During this meeting, you will participate in a brainstorming session and a collective exercise based on a case presentation, participatory dialogue, and a creative assignment. The Dokhuis Dialogue Series explores human rights through workshops, lectures, film screenings, and conversations with experts from legal, journalistic, political, and activist contexts.