Femicide drops, but experts warn danger remains for women leaving partners

The number of women killed in the Netherlands dropped last year, though experts caution it is too early to claim a broader decline in violence against women. A total of 37 women were murdered in 2025, compared with 44 in 2024. Of these, 17 were killed by a partner or ex-partner, down from 27 the previous year, according to the Dutch Femicide Monitor.

Marieke Liem, professor of safety and interventions at Leiden University, told NOS the numbers offer “cautious optimism.” She added, “Only if that figure remains lower for two years can we truly speak of a decline. Then we can also examine the reasons behind it.”

Despite the lower numbers, experts warn the risk remains high immediately after a woman leaves a partner. Liem said, “Research shows that leaving a partner is one of the main triggers for a perpetrator to commit murder. So, as cruel as it may seem, more attention to femicide can result in more deaths.”

At Filomena, a Rotterdam center for domestic violence and child abuse, the number of women seeking help has doubled. Manager Tanya Hoogwerf attributes this to increased media attention: “More women recognize the red flags.”

Hoogwerf explained common patterns preceding partner violence: “At the start of the relationship, the perpetrator idealizes the victim, then gradually diminishes, controls, and manipulates her.” The center emphasizes that most cases remain hidden. “We only see the tip of the iceberg.”

The latest data also show that victims are, on average, older than in previous decades. In the 1990s, younger women were at higher risk, but now women aged 20–40 face nearly the same risk as those 40–60. Liem said, “This group often stays in long-term relationships, thinking it is normal or staying for the safety of the children.”