More reports of honor-related violence in the Netherlands
The number of reports of honor-related violence in the Netherlands is on the rise. Last year, the national expertise center for this type of violence recorded 757 cases, compared to 673 in 2024, NOS reports.
The Expertise Center for Honor-Related Violence helps the police in cases of violence against a family member perceived to have smirched the family honor.
According to the expertise center, 34 percent of last year’s report involved Syrian families, 15 percent involved Turkish families, and 11 percent involved Moroccan families. The most common forms of honor-related violence were threats and assault. There were also cases of coercion, stalking, or rape.
The number of honor-related killings has decreased in recent years. In 2024, the expertise center recorded five murders or manslaughter cases. Four of the victims were women. One was a child.
The expertise center stressed that people coming from war zones were often confronted with serious violence. This can sometimes lead to a quicker step toward violence in honor-related matters.
The center also pointed out that the higher number of reports does not automatically mean more incidents of honor-related violence. It could also be due to increased attention to this form of violence or because people are more likely to recognize the signs.
One of the most well-known honor killings of recent years is that of 18-year-old Ryan al Najjar from Joure in 2024. Her brothers murdered her on their father’s orders because the young woman was behaving “too Western.” They used 18 meters of duct tape to tie Ryan up and threw her into a swamp to drown. Her body was found in a swamp near the Oostvaardersplassen on May 28, 2024.
The court sentenced Ryan’s father to 30 years in prison for his daughter's murder. He fled the country and is believed to be in Syria. Her two brothers each got 20 years in prison for complicity in their sister’s murder.
