Last Friday, the worldwide climate strike began. This Friday, it’s coming to the Hague, as thousands of people are expected to gather to express their frustration with the Dutch government’s handling of the climate crisis.
Fridays for Future
Strikers will gather in The Hague tomorrow at 1pm on Koekamp to protest against the Dutch government’s lack of action in the face of the climate crisis. According to Fridays for Future Nederland, “The current climate agreement is not enough and it’s not in accordance with the Urgenda verdict. We demand a Dutch Green New Deal with fair and ambitious climate policy to tackle the climate crisis effectively.”
The Urgenda verdict was the result of a court case in 2015, in which the Netherlands became the first country in the world to be legally obliged to act against climate change, and that any delay in doing so would be in contravention of the court’s ruling.
Young people have been striking for the climate since February last year in the Netherlands. Photo: Gosse Bouma
A week of worldwide protests and strikes
Most countries had their major climate protest last Friday, but in the Netherlands, New Zealand and Italy (among others) the main protest will be held on the 27th. However, there were smaller events in the Netherlands last Friday as well.
The protest in The Hague will close a week of worldwide striking and events. Image: Jasmin Sessler/ Pixabay
History of the movement
For the last year, there have been regular strikes on Friday by young people and students. The movement, Fridays for Future, was started by the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, and erupted in the Netherlands in February 2019. Last Friday, a week-long climate strike was declared: but this time adults were invited to join in. Strikes will have been held at over 4000 locations around the world by tomorrow.
Are you going to join the climate protest tomorrow in The Hague? Let us know in the comments below.
The maximum speed on national and provincial roads needs to be lowered as soon as possible in order to reduce nitrogen emissions and restore nature in the Netherlands, according to advice from the Remkes commission to the government.
The Netherlands must take “drastic measures” as soon as possible, as the nitrogen crisis threatens nature reserves. The quality of nature in the Netherlands has decreased due to nitrogen emissions in recent years. The cabinet is set to reply to the report by the beginning of October.
Reducing speed on highways
The Remkes commission has recommended for the speed on national and provincial roads to be reduced as soon as possible. Currently, the speed limit on these roads is 130 km/h. Although lowering this will increase journey times, it will drastically improve traffic flow, which will reduce the amount of nitrogen emitted. Also, studies have shown that the optimum speed for fuel efficiency is 70km/hr: so when these new speed limits arrive, you can expect to save both the planet and your money!
The Netherlands crashed into its legal limits on nitrogen deposition in nature areas. Government now worries about the Dutch Formula 1 race. Minister Bruins: "We're doing everything we can for it to happen. It would be fantastic if we hear 'vroom' on 3 May of next year." https://t.co/D0208YZsFq
Further advice for the aviation and shipping industries, freight transport and public transport is to be expected by May 2020. Forumla 1 may also be in danger.
Regulations for freight transport are expected next year. Source: Pixabay
Cleaning up farms
A second recommendation by the Remkes commission is to clean up out of date and polluting farms, and generally shut down livestock farms located close to Natura 2000 areas. Remkes, a member of the VVD, has dismissed a proposal by D66 to halve the number of pigs and chickens in the Netherlands, saying that it would not sit well with the livestock sector, and would unfairly penalise farmers who are attempting to be more environmentally friendly. The key is a targeted approach, focusing on farms that are producing more emissions, according to Remkes, who also suggests that the government fund innovation to make farming more environmentally friendly.
What do you think about a reduction in speed limits on regional and national roads? And should we get rid of half the chickens and pigs in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments below.
The NS is 48 trains richer but it was not exactly a gift. The central court of the Netherlands ruled that NS will have to take back 48 buffel trains that were sold to a Romanian transport company in 2014 and 2017. Well, I say take back but the truth is that they never left the Dutch tracks!
These buffel or so-called buffalo trains were sold to the Romanian transport company Ferotrans. They were supposed to come pick them up from the Netherlands by April 2018, latest. But they’re still parked in Nijmegen. So what exactly happened?
Image: Rob Dammers/Flickr
Why didn’t Ferotrans pick up the trains?
The whole affair has become more like a “he said-she said” situation where both the companies are blaming each other. Ferotrans claims that the Dutch railways were being a pain in the a*s with their bureaucracy. The Dutch railways are obviously refuting that as they say that they have done everything they can to make sure the trains were transported out of the country.
What happens to the trains now?
ProRail is set to start work on the tracks in Nijmegen in October and will need them to be cleared up. So, if the trains are not removed before October, ProRail will fine NS 1000 euros per train. With this court’s ruling, the ownership of the trains goes back to NS, which means that they are free to do what they want with them. According to NU.nl, they want to remove them and have them demolished. However, it’s still unknown as to where they will be taken. Talk about a long and arduous journey!
What do you make of this? Let us know in the comments below!
For anyone looking to switch to trains for international travel from the Netherlands, we have some excellent news for you! Did you already know that you can take the Eurostar train from Amsterdam to London in four hours and 45 minutes? Currently, you have to transfer at Brussels for a customs check, but there are talks that this won’t be necessary from January onwards. No transfer = direct train from Amsterdam to London = reducing train journey by an hour = everyone is happy!
That is what the State Secretary of Justice and Security of the Netherlands Ankie Broekers-Knol said, reports The Volkskrant. But she was unsure of the exact date of when exactly this would happen.
Why does the Eurostar train to London transfer in Brussels?
With international travel, and going outside of the Schengen Zone, comes stringent border control and customs checks. This happens in Brussels as the train stations at Amsterdam and Rotterdam cannot accommodate the whole process.
According to this announcement, they will cancel this transfer at Brussels and take up the border control procedures in Amsterdam itself.
What about the Eurostar train to London from Rotterdam?
Unfortunately, the report does not mention anything about how this would affect the train that goes between Rotterdam and London. Most likely, the same direct route will be available, but we don’t have any official word on that yet.
Why do they want to cancel the transfer for the Eurostar train to London in Brussels?
For the simple reason that they want to compete against budget flights. We know that train tickets to travel internationally have been selling like hotcakes in the Netherlands. With more people becoming environmentally conscious, it makes sense that the government would want to follow through on this. However, with the consequences of Brexit still unclear, we’re a while away from hopping on a train at Amsterdam Centraal and arriving in London in under four hours.
Currently, the trains have been running between Amsterdam and London three times a day. For one thing, these three trains a day can take the same number of passengers as 12 flights! That’s a lot of fuel saved there.
However, this is still a very expensive way to travel to London. So if they really want people to make that switch, they should consider lowering the prices as well.
What do you make of this? Will you be taking the Eurostar train to London instead (we’ve got one of our “everything you need to know” guides for this one) of a budget flight or do you need some more convincing? Let us know in the comments below!
Tilburg: a city that keeps on giving! This city in the Netherlands seems like the prime spot for architectural innovations which frequently pushes the limits of sustainable building. We have the LocHal, a re-purposed locomotive hall which is now one of the top four libraries in the world; a completely solar-powered bus station; and now, they have what could be the world’s most sustainable building: the new Rhenus Warehouse.
Rhenus Logistics partnered up with Dokvast and Heembouw to build a distribution center in ‘Het Laar’, the industrial area in Tilburg.
What makes it rank high on the sustainability index?
Solar panels on the roof
As soon as you come up to the roof of the warehouse, you will see 13,000 solar panels which are used to produce energy to power the distribution center. According to Rhenus’ senior vice-president Alphons van Erven, these panels not only cuts down on their energy consumption but also yield enough to power 750 households a year in the country.
Image: Rhenus B.V.
Triple-glazed windows to keep the cold out, and allow the sunshine through
The company has also invested in installing huge triple-glazed windows along the sides and either end of the building. Additionally, the building is airtight ensuring that it stays warm indoors when it’s cold outside. These huge glass windows also allows natural sunshine to come through. All in all, their energy costs to keep the building warm and bright has been cut phenomenally!
Image: Rhenus B.V.
Sustainability in the loo
Yes, their toilets too could not escape their well thought out sustainability measures. They will be using rainwater to flush their toilets. This will be collected on their roofs and be redirected to the loos around the building.
Landscape design
The brains behind this building also wanted to make sure that they would “re-establish the local flora to create appealing outdoor recreation areas to be enjoyed by the staff“. With these goals in mind, they curated designated areas around the building with plants and trees which will welcome staff and cheerful, chirpy birds alike! They hope these green patches will be brimming with employees looking for refuge from their everyday grind.
Image: Rhenus B.V.
Pretty neat, huh? If you want to know more about Tilburg and other innovative building projects, start with our video with Levi Hildebrand on how the city is leading the way in re-purposing old buildings!
If you want to know more about Tilburg and everything this city has to offer with its vibrant culture, music, and beautiful nature just head on over to the website! You won’t be disappointed 😉
Or if you need a short introduction to Tilburg, we have a short video for you!
How do you think this new warehouse fits into the whole vibe of Tilburg? Let us know in the comments below!
At least 85 large healthcare companies have been making an unusually high profit for the last two years, research by the Pointer, Reporter Radio and Follow the Money journalism platforms reveals. “Double digit profits are never necessary,” the Minister for Health, Welfare and Sport, Hugo de Jonge, says.
10 percent profit margins reported
The research was derived from digitised annual accounts held by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. This information is public, and details information about companies involved in mental health care, care for the disabled, and home care. In the healthcare sector, profit rates of 2 to 3 percent are common. However, the data survey showed that at least 85 healthcare companies had achieved a profit margin of more than 10 percent for at least two years in a row.
Minister: “Money for care is meant for care.”
Minister de Jonge said in a statement that “there is nothing wrong with profit in itself”, but that in his opinion, it is not possible to give good care while also managing to make so much money. “Money for care is meant for care and must be only be spent on healthcare. Care is serving and not earning.”
Some companies have reported profit margins of over 50 percent.
Health insurance premiums have risen
On 18 September this year, the Dutch government presented its budget. What does that have to do with this? Well, the budget revealed that health insurance premiums were rising again, with most people expecting a 10 euro increase per month, on average. And although there are good reasons for this to happen, such as economic growth and an overestimation last year, seeing these huge profit margins calls into question where the money is going.
Two companies have 50 percent profit margins
The three journalistic platforms only looked at the 1,308 largest of the 3,798 healthcare institutions in total. Of these, seven companies have recorded profit percentages above 40 percent and two of them are even above 50 percent. Moreover, as some companies have not yet filed their financial figures for 2018, the final list of those with unusually high profit margins may end up being even higher.
“The current law is not enough to keep the rotten apples out of the basket. So we will adjust that,” says De Jonge.
What do you think about healthcare companies making big profits? How does it work in the country you’re from? Let us know in the comments below!
The Netherlands is famous for a lot of things: tulips, cheese, canals, beautiful canal houses, world-class dikes, coffee shops, and of course, the legal status of prostitution in the low country. Yes, prostitution is legal in the Netherlands as long as it concerns voluntary sex between adults.
In April 2019, a Christian youth organization called Exxpose presented a petition to the Dutch Lower House to criminalise prostitution. They claim their aim is to “prevent the exploitation and trafficking” of women and young girls. But their stated intentions also raise questions: is placing a ban on prostitution truly going to make women safer? And does such a ban truly stop the patronization of prostitutes?
What do Exxpose want?
Exxpose’s initiative to question the legal status of prostitution in the Netherlands quickly gathered 40,000 signatures. They are also demanding the introduction of the Nordic model, a model in which the selling of sex isn’t a punishable offence, but rather the purchasing of it. The Christian youth association wants a debate on the floor of the Lower House about the issue.
ChristenUnie MP Gert-Jan Segers also supports the initiative and wrote on the Exxpose website “Love and sex belong together … Prostitution has everything to do with sex, but nothing to do with love.”
“It would be great if this citizens’ initiative forced the House of Representatives to think about the legal status that prostitution has enjoyed in the Netherlands these past few years,” he continued.
Amsterdam Red Light District by night. Image: Not4rthur/Flickr
There are many people who consider MP Gert-Jan Segers’ comments to be naive as well as shortsighted and false.
That’s because adults who have sex may love each other, but sex doesn’t always have to do with love. There are millions of people in the Netherlands (and all over the world) who have sex daily but aren’t in love with each other. The idea that there must be love in order for sexual intercourse between two consenting adults to take place is both naive and misleading.
What do politicians and other countries think?
Exxpose’s initiative has received mixed responses so far from politicians, everyday citizens and of course, prostitutes. Interest groups like PROUD Netherlands have also been extremely critical of the ChristenUnie and Exxpose.
Foxxy, a board member of PROUD Netherlands believes that the call to make prostitution illegal or the adoption of the Nordic model has nothing to do with a selfless concern for the welfare of women or prostitutes but rather the fact that their religion frowns on prostitution.
“This petition is not in the sex workers’ interest. It’s people who read the Bible who are trying to stop us,” she told the BBC.
Furthermore, evidence gathered from different European countries that have adopted the Nordic model presents serious reservations about the so-called Nordic model.
The debate is now happening in all sorts of places. Exxpose believes that the vast majority of young people who end up in prostitution are forced to do so due to ‘urgent financial need’ or pimps and human traffickers.
Legalizing #sexwork means the sex trade is still subject to very tight legal restrictions, such as where one can work. Decriminalisation removes all legal restrictions around sex work and means sex workers are afforded the same rights and protections as all other workers. pic.twitter.com/bmFkVDZOJN
But their claims are usually based on incorrect assumptions and estimates. They have neither done extensive research nor used data from interest groups to support their claims on the matter.
A lot of prostitutes believe that the groups’ aim is simply to deprive women of the right to make their own decisions as it concerns their own lives and bodies.
So what is the Nordic (Swedish) model?
Exxpose wants the Netherlands to introduce a model where buying sex is a punishable offence. A similar model has also been introduced in Norway. In this so-called Nordic model, prostitutes are not punished when caught selling sex, instead, they are offered alternative means of employment and a way out of the world of prostitution. The questions still remain, how realistic and effective is this model?
What do sex workers have to say about all this?
In response to the 40,000 signatures gathered by Exxpose, PROUD Netherlands, an interest group for sex workers, demonstrated on the streets of Amsterdam. The members were furious because adopting the Nordic model would not only take away their source of income but also make their work unsafe.
How effective has the Nordic model been in countries that introduced it?
In Ireland, where this model was recently introduced, violence against sex workers has doubled in the past year. And in France, HIV prevalence has started rising again.
Migrants are the main victims of this model. Most of them are recruited by pimps running underground prostitution rings, where they are heavily worked without regard for their financial or health status. In extreme cases, they are heavily abused and even murdered.
Exxpose’s call for the adoption of the Nordic model is based on nothing but moral policy. It is insensitive to scientific evidence and is extremely harmful to sex workers.
Wat een groot onzin dat sekswerkers willen dat het aantal toeristen omlaag gaat. Zij zijn voor sekswerkers juist de grootste inkomstenbron. Feitelijk onjuist artikel dus van de Volkskrant. https://t.co/74ZJ6T8izr via @volkskrant
Since 1999 prostitution has been prohibited by law in Sweden. In 2010, the government claimed that street prostitution had been halved and other forms virtually banned. There are still no figures to support that claim.
Some experts believe that it is possible that the prostitutes have left Sweden to other countries where they can safely operate without fear of being abused by pimps and violent customers.
It is also believed that pimps in Sweden and environs have taken their prostitution rings underground. This makes regulation extremely difficult and the progress (or lack thereof) of such a model nearly impossible to track.
What do the statistics say?
In France:
42 percent of sex workers experience more violence
38 percent feel pressured to have unsafe sex with customers
70 percent of sex workers now have a bad relationship with the police
Perhaps there is more salvation in decriminalising prostitution, as has been done in New Zealand. There, legislation specifically aimed at banning prostitution has been abolished. For sex workers, normal labor law applies: self-employed prostitutes do not need a special permit, as is the case in the Netherlands.
Velvet December, coordinator for advocacy at PROUD Netherlands is a huge fan of the New Zealand model and spoke about it after a visit to the country. “We spoke with sex workers in New Zealand and noticed how positive the legislation there is for their position,” she said. “They are much more independent and the violence against them has significantly decreased.”
VICE Nederland wrote an article on the New Zealand model, stating that in New Zealand sex workers have the same rights as journalists or bicycle makers.
“Sex work is seen as a “normal” job in New Zealand and that makes it safer for sex workers to go about their businesses,” the article stated.
Would banning prostitution work?
As the social debate rages on, many consider a ban on the patronisation of prostitutes unrealistic and ineffective. It is not entirely clear what problem a ban is going to solve, but it is primarily a moral discussion that deserves social debate. The reality remains that there is a lot of demand for sexual services and banning the buying of sex will not stop the buying of sex.
Prohibiting prostitution is the same as prohibiting capitalism. It is pointless banning something you cannot eradicate. What you must do is seek to regulate it so that those who engage in it are made to abide by rules that protect them and everyone else.
Exxpose also claims that every prostitute in the Netherlands has no love for what they do and are only doing it for the money, but the same can also be said of other professions.
After all, you only have to get on the train in the morning rush hour to see a lot of people who are not exactly passionate about going to work and are driven solely by financial need. Those professions are all legal, so what makes them more special than prostitution?
Regardless of the sector where one works, as long as their job is legal, they chose it and they aren’t hurting anyone, they should be respected. And to the feminists supporting the adoption of the Nordic model: the so-called Nordic model will only make prostitutes more vulnerable. No model, no matter what name you give it, can ever eradicate prostitution.
What is the background of prostitutes?
One of the people behind Exxpose is Willemijn de Jong who works at the Salvation Army. She is a Christian, motivated by a ‘religious conscience’ and claims to have spoken to lots of prostitutes in the Netherlands and concluded that they always started from an exploitation position.
According to her, there are no prostitutes who are strong women and have consciously chosen to go into the profession. The industry is mainly filled with women who are victims of human trafficking, abuse, and oppression. The ‘strong woman’ who deliberately chooses it does not exist. In her book, the story is always the same: one of misery and exploitation.
Interviews with sex worker
Bonton Strip Club Amsterdam. Image: Chuka Phillip-Jonson
While writing this article, I decided to pay a visit to some escort agencies, strip/sex clubs and the red light districts to interview sex workers, strippers and entrepreneurs in the prostitution business. I spoke to more than 20 sex workers, took a tour of their rooms in the red light district and had conversations with sex workers on their motivations for going into the business.
One of the many sex clubs I visited was Bonton Sex Club based in Amsterdam. A discrete gentleman’s club with a lot of rules meant to provide a safe working environment for their sex workers as well as a fun atmosphere for their customers. I spoke to some of their working girls and found out that Exxpose really has a warped sense of the prostitution industry in the Netherlands.
Firstly, I realised that sex clubs, strip clubs and the whole prostitution business isn’t the den of sex, hard drugs, misery and exploitation that it has been made out to be. They are actually legitimate and clean places of business that frequently undergo checks by officials from the Dutch government and where foul play and dirty business is discovered, their permit is immediately withdrawn.
In order not to lose their permits, they have strict rules that their customers must abide by, are protective of their sex workers: make sure that they are never abused by customers, pay them well and are open to constant checks from government officials to make sure that the working girls aren’t victims of human trafficking and/or forced prostitution.
What are the rooms in the Red Light District like?
In the red-light district, each room is equipped with an alarm button for the safety of the women. In sex clubs and escort businesses like Bonton, where the focus is mainly on luxury, rooms are equipped with jacuzzis, clean beds, alarm buttons, and telephones so sex workers can easily call the attention of the security when they feel threatened by customers.
At every location I visited, there was extra attention given to the safety of the sex workers. This is something that could be at risk if Exxpose was allowed to get their way.
Safety button at the Red Light District Amsterdam. Image: Chuka Phillip-Jonson
The images that Exxpose paints of the “plight of sex workers in the Netherlands” aren’t true. There is a multitude of motivations and a diversity of people who do sex work. The girls I spoke to had different motivations as to why they were in the business. Some claimed it was purely for the money, others because it was what they were good at and a few admitted to being the “party girl” and really loving their job.
How much of sex work is sex?
Another myth being thrown around by Exxpose and some politicians from the conservative side is that sex workers usually have a lot of sex in order to earn money. Turns out it’s not true.
A lot of the sex workers I interviewed revealed that there were days and sometimes weeks they made a lot of money without having sex. Yes, sex is involved in their line of work but turns out most customers pay good money to just talk or spend time with prostitutes.
At sex clubs like Bonton and Club LV, rich customers paying a lot of money just to take prostitutes clubbing is a regular request. There are also men who pay good money to just sit in the jacuzzi, drink champagne and have conversations with prostitutes. There are some customers who have fetishes that have nothing to do with sexual intercourse and pay prostitutes good money to have them gratified.
For Exxpose and others to conclude that sex is all prostitutes do in their line of work is both ignorant and a blatant lie.
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Image: Chuka Phillip-Jonson
A Room at Sex Club LV Amsterdam
Image: Chuka Phillip-Jonson
A room at Bonton Sex Club Amsterdam
Image: Chuka Phillip-Jonson
A room with a jacuzzi in Sex Club LV Amsterdam
Image: Chuka Phillip-Jonson
A jacuzzi in Sex Club LV Amsterdam
Can I experience a tour for myself?
For those who are interested and would like to take a look into the world of prostitution in the Netherlands, pay a visit to Bonton Amsterdam and do their red-light district tour. The tour gives you an opportunity to start a conversation with their sex workers and experience a day in the life of a working girl.
You’d be surprised to find that much of what you have heard about prostitutes and prostitution is totally false. It is just a job like every other job and the Dutch government also earns a considerable amount of revenue from the tax that the industry generates.
What are some challenges faced by sex workers?
Unfortunately, despite paying so much tax, sex workers in the Netherlands still aren’t allowed to buy houses or rent apartments. They are also not entitled to WW Uitkering (unemployment benefits you get from the government when you are wholly or partially unemployed).
Amsterdam, Red Light District, 1958. A street prostitute talks to a potential client next to the Protestant Old Church.
It is a shame that organizations like Exxpose would rather seek to take away the livelihood of thousands of sex workers while making the profession unsafe for them. They would actually be helping if they focused solely on the fight against human trafficking and forced prostitution in the Netherlands.
Prostitution must stay legal for the safety of women in the Netherlands
Since 2000, the Netherlands has been trying to turn prostitution into a normal profession. PROUD Netherlands has been at the forefront of the fight to see that prostitutes have the same rights as others in the Netherlands labor market.
There is also the stigma surrounding the profession to combat which isn’t very easy with Christian organizations like Exxpose. Their initiative will seek to undo all that PROUD Netherlands has been able to achieve in the last couple of years.
The human rights organization Amnesty International also came out in support of keeping prostitution legal in the Netherlands. “We stand for the decriminalization of male and female prostitutes who work without coercion.
We rely on facts and evidence to prove that criminalization makes sex work less safe, because it means that sex workers cannot count on protection from the police and their abusers and violent customers can easily violate their rights with impunity. We know the arguments. A ban (of any kind) on prostitution will only drive it underground. We must separate human trafficking from voluntary prostitution.” they wrote.
“If two adults voluntarily have sex and a financial transaction also takes place, there should be no problem with that,” Amnesty continued. “Legalization also increases the possibilities for government control and improves the financial and health position of the prostitute. And that is what Amnesty is all about.”
Furthermore, a 2016 New York Times article also highlighted Amnesty International’s criticism of the Nordic model, stating that, “Amnesty also calls into doubt the claim that the Nordic model effectively combats trafficking, calling the Norwegian government’s evidence to this effect ‘fundamentally weak and undermined by alternative evidence’.”
The Two Camps: For and Against
The arguments from both camps (for and against) are known so well because the same discussion has been going on for ages. And that is strange because both camps agree for the most part. We all want to help women who are in the sex industry. No one is in support of human trafficking, exploitation and forced sex. And in theory, none of us, except perhaps a few Christian fundamentalists, object to payment for sex on a voluntary basis.
The main disagreement has always been about whether that “voluntary basis” exists. If women voluntarily choose to go into the industry, their safety and rights must be protected. Exxpose may disguise their advocacy as the “liberation of women” but in truth, they are only going to make the industry unsafe for all sex workers.
It is true that there are women who are trafficked and forced into prostitution. These are the women that need our help the most. So in a situation where you suspect that a woman is being forced into prostitution or a victim of human trafficking, here are the ways to report it.
Reporting Forced prostitution in the Netherlands Image: Michael Coghlan/Flickr
Reporting forced prostitution
How to Recognise forced prostitution
A prostitute is possibly working under coercion if:
they are forced to have sex for a fee;
their partner forces them to have sex with acquaintances or friends;
their partner forces them to pay off debts by having sex with strangers;
they are younger than 18;
they are forced to engage in unsafe sex;
they are abused, blackmailed or threatened.
Do you suspect that someone has been forced into prostitution? Or that someone is a victim of human trafficking? Then report this to the police via 0900-8844 or anonymously to Meld Misdaad Anoniem (M.) via 0800-7000.
The employees of Meld Misdaad Anoniem will not see your telephone number and the call is not recorded. They also do not record your name, address, and other personal details, so you do not have to be scared of being harassed by the perpetrators.
Where can I get help if I am forced into prostitution in the Netherlands?
As a victim of forced prostitution (or human trafficking) you can go to different agencies for help and relief. You can also always contact the police for help.
Agencies for help and relief with forced prostitution
There are various agencies that offer assistance to victims of forced prostitution (or human trafficking). These organizations offer legal, medical and psychological help.
CoMensha is the national Coordination Center against Human Trafficking. They identify the nature and extent of human trafficking and are committed to the interests and rights of (possible) victims of human trafficking in the Netherlands. They are also responsible for the victims of sexual exploitation, other labor exploitation, criminal exploitation and forced begging, forced organ removal, etc.
Slachtoffer Hulp Netherland (Victim Support) helps victims of different sorts of crimes, traffic accidents, disasters, and calamities. You can reach out to them for emotional support and they also make sure that victims are sent to the right agencies where they can get the best help.
Victims of human trafficking are often afraid of doing something about it themselves. Sometimes the victim does not know that they are being exploited or that human trafficking is a punishable offence. If you suspect that someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please bring it to the attention of the police immediately. You can also offer support and advice. Here are a few tips:
Try talking to the victim about it, preferably as quickly as possible because the pimp often tries to isolate and keep them from having friends.
Make sure that the victim knows that they can always turn to you for support.
Share information about human trafficking with them and also let them know how the police can help them.
Always report forced prostitution to the police. Make an effort to do something if you can, especially if the victim is undocumented. In the case of an undocumented victim, the Human Trafficking Residence Scheme applies.
The scheme states that:
As a victim, you have a 3-month period where you can decide if you want to stay in the Netherlands or go back home. This is usually for victims of trafficking who were forced to leave their countries.
The 3-month period also offers you a chance to rest and heal, especially for victims who have been heavily abused by pimps and violent customers. You may also think about cooperating in a criminal investigation into the perpetrator (s).
If you decide to cooperate, you will receive a temporary residence permit (B8.3).
During the 3-month period, you are entitled to shelter, benefits and medical assistance.
You may work in the Netherlands for the duration of your residence permit.
Reality Check: No ban can eradicate the world’s oldest profession
Amsterdam Red Light District windows. Image: Mitch Altman/Flickr.
Aletta Jacobs, an advocate for women’s rights was not in favour of a prostitution ban. “That would only make women more vulnerable and also make it more difficult for prostitutes to have access to health care,” she said.
Making prostitution illegal will not stop it. It will only send it into a dark and underground world, just as it is in the United States. Pimps have a lot of power in the US and run underground prostitution rings where women who don’t stay in line are either ‘kept in line’ or even murdered. That is something that the Netherlands does not want. Seriously, the Netherlands does not want to be pulling out the lifeless bodies of prostitutes from its canals.
It is true that there are a few prostitutes in the Netherlands who are victims of forced prostitution and sex trafficking and are constantly abused by pimps. The Dutch government and the police must do more to catch these pimps and set these women free. Placing a ban on prostitution will only have adverse effects on sex workers and women in general.
A ban will send the industry underground where it will become extremely difficult to regulate and prostitutes will no longer be able to receive protection from the police and will be at the mercy of abusive pimps and violent customers. The focus should be on fighting forced prostitution in the Netherlands and in all of Europe.
The truth is, prostitution is older than everyone on this earth. As long as the demand for paid sex exists, it can never be eradicated. You can criminalise that need, as they do in Sweden and other Nordic countries, but that is just like banning cigarettes. The ban will not reduce or eradicate the demand, it will only give rise to the sale of a black market version of the same product. An adulterated version even.
The need is there and Nordic model or no Nordic model, it will always be there. If a woman sees financial gain in meeting the sexual needs of men, then the government should create an environment that protects the financial interests of the women as well as her safety.
It is a human right not to have to prostitute yourself, but it’s also a human right to be allowed to make the choice if you want to or not. To the women who want to, let them have the freedom and a safe environment to do so.
Adopting a Nordic model or banning prostitution in the Netherlands will not only be a disaster for sex workers in the Netherlands, it will also create an unsafe environment for women in general. Furthermore, it will see the liberal values on which the Netherlands is built trampled upon and thrown into the canals.
Let us focus all our strengths on fighting forced prostitution and human trafficking in the Netherlands. Leave the legal status of prostitution alone.
What do you think about prostitution in the Netherlands? Would the adoption of the Nordic model be a good or bad thing? Let us know in the comments below!
A internet shopping spree went wrong this week when an Austrian woman bought two dresses from a Dutch online shop. A few days later as the couple ate breakfast, the postman brought their package to Linz – and a second package filled with 24,800 ecstasy pills.
The couple, aged 58 and 59, were confused by the additional package which was addressed to them. The woman originally thought the mistaken package was full of decorative stones. However, the man quickly realised it was full of the party drug instead.
We guess they look a little decorative. Image: Austrian Police
They then did the responsible thing and contacted the post office. The police were called (stat!) and an investigation revealed the intended recipient was someone in Scotland – who we can assume was very worried at this point wondering where their pills were.
Of course, the Scot was arrested. Dutch police are still trying to find the sender of the package.
What do you think of this mis-addressed mishap? Something you might like to receive in the post? Let us know in the comments below!
The VVD has decided to remove Wybren van Haga from the party following his involvement as a landlord in a property that he owns. After a group meeting, Klaas Dijkhoff, leader of the VVD, stated that van Haga had violated previous agreements made in line with the findings of the Integrity Committee by continuing to act as a landlord of the properties he owns.
Van Haga has not decided whether he will resign as a member of the lower house yet, saying that he first wants to consult some people. “It’s a lot to process.”
Van Haga has a history of causing trouble for himself: since the end of 2017 he has been the subject of an internal integrity inquiry by the VVD. Last year he was told to decide between continuing his work as an entrepreneur while also having a seat in the Chamber of Commerce. He was also caught driving under the influence of alcohol this summer.
The coalition will be under stress if Van Haga decides to become an independent. Image: Abuzer van Leeuwen.
Van Haga’s reaction
After 38 years as a VVD member, van Haga declared that he was disappointed in the party’s decision. “Their calculation came to a different result than my own.” He admitted that he had sent an email to a tenant, but denied that this had violated the agreement he had made last year.
“The fundamental problem here… is whether you can be an entrepreneur and a representative of the people at the same time.” He said.
If van Haga decides to continue as an independent member of the lower house, the VVD will only have 32 of the 33 seats left and the government coalition of VVD, D66, CDA and ChristenUnie will only have 75 seats. The government will lose its majority and need to work with smaller parties to regain it.
The weather this week will be unpredictable, with precipitation every day- quite the change after the record-breaking warm weekend we’ve just had. The UN opening press release at the Climate Action Summit in New York warns that we’ve just experienced the five warmest years on record. This Friday, the global climate strike will arrive in the Netherlands, with a protest in The Hague.
A rainy week ahead
It’s really beginning to feel like autumnal today: which makes sense, given that yesterday was the meteorological start of autumn. This week we’re getting the most typical sort of Dutch weather: unpredictable apart from the fact that there will definitely be rain every day, as Weerplaza reports. It shouldn’t get cold, though. Temperatures are set between 16 and 20 degrees, which is mild for this time of year. If you’re wondering what to do with yourself in this typically Dutch weather, check out our guide on what to do in the Netherlands when it’s raining.
There will be rain every day this week. Image: KirstentB/Pixabay.
First summer day of autumn
Despite being autumn-appropriate, these showers feel like quite the change after last weekend, where we had our first summer day of autumn. A summer day occurs when the temperature reaches 25 degrees- which it did in De Bilt at about 2pm on Sunday. Even warmer temperatures were recorded in other parts of the country: in Zeeuwse Westdorpe it reached 27 degrees, and it was 28 degrees in both Maastricht and Eindhoven. All of these places broke the record for the highest temperature ever recorded on that day. Plenty of people headed to the beach to enjoy what was potentially the last day of summer.
This Sunday, people headed to the beach for maybe the last time this year! Image: Pixabay.
The last five years were the warmest ever recorded
While our warm Sunday might have been nice, it’s not an innocuous event. According to the UN, the last five years were the warmest ever recorded, and the “warming of the earth is speeding up”. Between 2011 and 2015 the global temperature rose by 0.2 degrees- this is in addition to the 1.1 degree change we have experienced since the industrial period began. The UN also reported that the sea level and amount of CO2 in the atmosphere had reached record highs. On Monday, the UN Climate Action Summit began in New York. Greta Thunberg gave this speech, which you should absolutely watch:
The Netherlands and climate change
In the Netherlands, we need to take all of this seriously, especially rising sea levels. Given that we built cities on already sinking land, the climate crisis is a massive risk for the country- as it is for the world. This Friday there will be a climate protest in The Hague, with people in the Netherlands joining the millions worldwide who are striking this week to express their dissatisfaction with how governments are dealing with the crisis.
