Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Black fashion mannequin
Black fashion mannequin - Credit: focusandblur / DepositPhotos - License: DepositPhotos
Crime
Tech
Science
Culture
Art
AMFI
Amsterdam
sexual abuse
intimidation
workplace safety
students
Thursday, 1 July 2021 - 07:15
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Amsterdam Fashion Institute an unsafe environment for students, staff, report shows

The Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) is not a safe environment for students and employees, research agency Bezemer & Schubad concluded in a report. The agency found that students were, or still are, treated unacceptably by teachers tasked with developing them, ANP reported.

The report stated that students confronted an extremely high workload. The behavior of some teachers was aimed at destroying the self-image and self-confidence of their students. Complaints from students were also not taken seriously enough.

In May, students and alumni of AMFI demanded that the director and a senior lecturer resign after multiple complaints about an unsafe and unhealthy working atmosphere at the educational institute.

The students claimed that sexually and racially charged comments by lecturers towards students caused a toxic environment. The director and senior lecturer in question allegedly dismissed clear signs of transgressive behavior for years. Bezemer & Schubad then carried out the research into social safety on behalf of the AMFI.

Many students came forward after an article about former student and guest lecturer at the AMFI, Martijn N., appeared in Dutch media. He has been accused by 20 men of sexually transgressive behavior, including rape, sexual assault, harassment and threats. Some of the men said they were underage at the time these crimes occurred.

“The report confirms the harrowing stories that have come to us in recent months via (former) students. I apologize for that and it makes me sad but at the same time combative to implement changes with urgency”, said Dirk Reynders, director at AMFI. According to him, it will "never happen again" that students cannot be themselves.

Signs of underlying issues at the AMFI emerged when the school voiced its support for the Black Lives Matter movement last year, with some students claiming the solidarity was hypocritical.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Cabinet takes first step in 'simple system' for road pricing
  • Netherlands' renewable energy share decreased in 2021, despite advances in field
  • Women on Waves receives applications from the US for abortion ship
  • Air France-KLM pays millions for alleged mail fraud in the US
  • Maastricht University recovers ransom from hackers with large profit
  • Government must pay tens of thousands of euros to waiting Tbs patients

Top stories

  • Dutch Central Bank and province of Noord-Holland apologize for historic roles in slavery
  • Schiphol and Eindhoven Airport prepare for farmer protests, traffic blockades
  • Fmr. Dutch national football coach accuses colleagues of rape
  • Five young children seriously injured in head-on crash
  • Many new rules in effect from July 1 in the Netherlands
  • Cabinet wants to ban protests in front of politicians’ homes after farmers incidents

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content