New stalker alarm keychain tested in Rotterdam

The Rotterdam probation service has been testing a new stalker alarm keychain, AD reported on Friday. This device alerts the probation service when a stalker or domestic violence perpetrator comes too close.

The device is a small keychain-sized GPS tracker attached to a person's ankle. If two users come within a kilometer of each other, an alarm is triggered. The probation service receives this alarm and evaluates whether it indicates a potential threat, considering instances where the two might cross paths unintentionally. If the situation seems suspicious to the employee, they will alert the victim via phone and provide an ‘escape route’.

Stalking or domestic violence victims usually receive an alarm button to quickly notify police during emergencies. However, a major disadvantage is that it does not prevent encounters between the victim and the perpetrator. The new technology can therefore give victims of stalking and domestic violence a feeling of safety.

Dilek, a social worker from the Rotterdam organization Arosa dealing with stalking cases, said to AD that this new device “can save lives.” He remarked that while the perpetrator is aware of the ankle bracelet's connection to the device, they are not notified when they are too close to the victim. “For them, this feels like a normal ankle bracelet process,” he said.

Not all victims of stalking or domestic violence qualify for the new device. The two individuals cannot live in close proximity to avoid constant alarms, and the perpetrator must already have an ankle monitor and a restraining order.

A trial has been underway in the Rotterdam region since September 2022. For the past six months, the probation service in Rotterdam has been testing the new technology. According to a spokesperson, the five victims who received the keychain are satisfied. “They indicate that it gives a safe and less restless feeling. Some victims go back to places they did not dare to go before. The device expands their living environment.”

Other organizations involved in the trial are Veilig Thuis, Slachtofferhulp Nederland, Arosa, the police and the probation service. The involved organizations aim to test the device in two to three additional regions, which are yet to be determined.

The trial is a response to the killing 16-year-old Humeyra at her Rotterdam school in December 2018 by her ex and stalker Bekir E. The teenage girl reported him to the police multiple times, filing charges of assault, stalking and threats against him. The Justice and Security Inspectorate later concluded that the government agencies horribly failed Humeyra when she sought help.