Rotterdam mayor uses King’s Night to call attention to women’s safety
On King’s Night, Mayor Carola Schouten of Rotterdam posted a video on social media, calling attention to women’s safety on the streets. She handed out orange bracelets with the text “Let women come home safely,” translated from Dutch, in the center of Rotterdam on Sunday, supporting a police campaign.
Earlier in the day, the authorities doubled the reward in a cold case rape and murder of a Rotterdam woman in 2001. Schouten referred to that case, saying the police asked for attention for this woman who never came home after a night out on Queen’s Night. Let this not happen to any more women.
“This is not just a matter for the police, but for society as a whole,” Schouten said. “Because safety is a basic prerequisite of being able to live freely, especially for women and girls. It is important that we all stand up for it. But also that we say that it is unacceptable that women and girls can no longer walk the streets safely.”
“We need your help too,” Schouten said, appealing to the people of Rotterdam. “Let us all ensure that women can walk the streets safely in the evening. And that they do not have to think about how they behave or how they dress. Because ultimately, safety is important to all of us.”
Mariska Klompenhouwer was raped and murdered on the day before Queen’s Day 2001. Her body was found in the parking lot at Ahoy. The police believe she was trying to get home by taxi after a night out, and that the driver of the car she got into raped her in the parking lot before running her over with his vehicle, leaving her dead at the scene.
