Amsterdam pledges €6M for women’s safety; municipalities respond to rising reports

The city of Amsterdam is allocating an additional six million euros to improve women’s safety, the municipality announced. The funds will go toward prevention, victim support, and a specialized police platform focused on violence against women.

The extra funding follows the killing of 17-year-old Lisa last month in Duivendrecht, as well as a rape at the Weesperzijde in Amsterdam and an attempted sexual assault. The same suspect is in custody for all three cases.

Measures include improving public spaces with better lighting. The Holterbergweg, where Lisa was killed, the Weesperzijde, and the Zilvermeeuwpad in Diemen, site of a recent sexual assault, have already been made safer. The city is also considering initiatives like buddy systems in nightlife areas.

About 30 officers from various departments will work within the Stop Violence Against Women platform. The team aims to better support victims and remove internal police bottlenecks. Reporting and filing procedures will be made more accessible, and officers will be trained to detect early signs of sexual violence, abuse, and femicide. Prosecutors will assign dedicated teams to cases that arise from this platform.

“Countless Amsterdammers have come forward with initiatives in recent weeks. This shows broad societal outrage and engagement,” said Mayor Femke Halsema. “We want to honor that civic involvement and do everything possible to stop violence, prevent recurrence, and provide victims with the support they deserve.”

The violent murder of 17-year-old Lisa from Abcoude has led to residents of many municipalities asking questions regarding street safety. A survey by ANP shows that these include questions about safety measures taken by the municipality or reports of locations that people perceive as unsafe.

Lisa was brutally murdered in Assendelft near the Johan Cruijff ArenA while she was cycling back from Amsterdam city center on the way to her home in Abcoude on August 20. A 22-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder. He had been previously detained for a separate sexual assault case and is also linked to other incidents involving women.

“Understandably, Lisa’s death has also affected Tilburg,” the municipality said. “This has naturally led to questions, comments, and reports.” The municipality says it is now reviewing everything and will then assess whether additional measures are needed.

In Schagen, the incident has prompted “extra discussions,” both within the municipal government and with residents. “We notice that residents are sharing their concerns and questions with us,” for example, requesting more attention to street safety. Based on these signals, the municipality will consider whether additional safety measures should be implemented.

In Zevenaar, Gelderland, the news has “sparked conversations,” and an inventory may be made of locations where “women and other vulnerable groups feel unsafe.”

Various municipalities have stated that they have seen an increase in the number of reports over the last few weeks. These include Dordrecht, Goirle in Noord-Brabant, and Maastricht. Last mentioned received nine reports from residents who feel unsafe on the streets, almost as many as in the last six months. The municipality said that these reports help them to gain more insight into risky areas.

In Diemen, a few residents also came forward with concerns. Some have indicated that they want to contribute ideas for initiatives to improve safety.

Oosterhout reported receiving “many signals” last week, and people also spoke up in The Hague. After the campaign “We Claim the Night,” the municipality received numerous responses from women about their experiences and locations in The Hague where they feel unsafe. “Every report helps us, for example, to identify and address shady and unsafe places.”

Utrecht said that they received “slightly more reports” from people who feel unsafe in recent weeks. “The issue resonates with residents,” the municipality said.

A campaign called #EchtMannelijk was launched on Tuesday in the city. With the message “Ask a woman how often she feels unsafe,” initiative founder Ilia ten Böhmer aims to contribute to a culture in which women feel safe and to raise men’s awareness of their role in this.

The message is visible at 50 locations across the city, including screens along Utrecht’s ring road and on bus shelters and information boards in the city center. It is also displayed on a large billboard along the A2 near The Wall.

Ten Böhmer started the campaign after the murder of Lisa and reports of other sexual assault and femicide cases. “Almost all the women I know well have been harassed, attacked, and/or even raped. In a safe country,” he wrote earlier in a LinkedIn post. He decided to take action himself, aiming “to collectively build a culture in which respectful masculinity is the standard and men help and hold each other accountable to uphold boundaries.”