Dutch parliament demands quicker, longer restraining orders for domestic violence
A parliamentary majority has pledged support for a motion demanding that longer restraining orders be implemented more quickly against perpetrators of domestic violence. Currently, mayors and public prosecutors can impose restraining orders for up to four weeks in cases of an acute, threatening situation. Parliament wants to extend the maximum period to one year, NOS reports.
The idea is that, during the cooling-off period created by the weeks-long restraining order, support services can step in and help the family. “You see that it’s not working well enough now,” said GroenLinks-PvdA MP Songül Mutluer. “After such a cooling-off period, the perpetrator returns, and things can escalate again.”
She submitted the motion for longer restraining orders during the parliamentary debate on the Justice and Security budget on Tuesday. Mutluer also wants to make it easier to impose the restraining order. Instead of being limited to cases of acute threats, mayors and prosecutors should also be allowed to impose such an order in cases of long-term threats. And perpetrators must be required to accept help.
The GL-PvdA MP’s proposal is supported by Bente Becker (VVD), Hanneke van der Werf (D66), and Ingrid Coenradie (JA21). The four parliamentarians have agreed to work together on proposals to combat femicide.
“We are now seeing victims often fleeing their homes,” said Van der Werf. “I think we should be much tougher on the perpetrator. Why is he allowed to stay at home while he’s beating up his wife or girlfriend?”
The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, will likely vote on the motion next week. It will then be up to the Ministry of Justice and Security to further develop the proposal.
