Violent crime victims’ relatives often drown in funeral, legal costs

Violent crime victims and surviving relatives often find themselves in trouble due to high costs that they can’t get reimbursed. Someone whose family member got murdered, for example, often has to deal with costs for a funeral, notary, psychologist, and sometimes a different living space. Many also lose income because they can’t work after the trauma. The existing regulations are inadequate and the government and insurers should step up to help these victims better, Victim Support Netherlands told NOS.

“It causes a lot of stress and extra problems,” Leonie Foncke of Victim Support told the broadcaster. “If you have already experienced something very intense and then also get into financial trouble, you feel like a double victim.” Last year, Victim Support helped around 3,900 victims and surviving loved ones of serious crimes. Almost everyone faced extra costs resulting from the crime.

For example, in the trial against Fouad L., who murdered his neighbor, her 14-year-old daughter, and a lecturer at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, 14-year-old Romy’s father talked about losing his income and home on top of his grief for his daughter.

Natascha Anemaat, whose 14-year-old daughter, Esmee Kortekaas, was murdered by her gymnastics teacher in 2021, also couldn’t work after she lost her. “I have sometimes been afraid that I would have to sell my house and empty Esmee’s bedroom,” she said. “That affects you a lot and feels extremely unfair. I did not choose to have my daughter taken from my life.”

Victims of a violent or sex crime, or a surviving relative of the victim, can claim a few thousand euros from the Victims of Violence Crimes Compensation Fund. According to Victim Support, that rarely covers all the costs.

Victims can try to recover the rest of the money from the perpetrator during the trial, but criminal judges don’t always grant these claims. Previous research showed that almost half of such damage claims are not handled in the criminal trial due to their complexity. Instead, victims and loved ones have to initiate civil proceedings against the perpetrator, which is pointless if the perpetrator is unable to pay.

In criminal cases, the government advances the imposed compensation, but only if the case is fully settled. That can take years. And the government only pays out eight months after the last ruling.

This system urgently needs to be overhauled, according to Victim Support. The organization wants criminal courts to award damages more quickly and for the contributions from the Victims of Violent Crimes Compensation Fund to increase considerably. The government should also pay higher advances to victims and their loved ones to prevent them from getting into financial difficulties.