COVID-19 Domestic Violence Country Updates: Netherlands
Tuesday, June 23, 2020 3:20 PM

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In the Netherlands, there was a 20% increase in reports of domestic violence in March compared to January and February of 2020. 1 Two weeks after the closure of schools due to the pandemic, the children’s hotline Kindertelefoon saw a 50% increase in calls from young people reporting cases of domestic violence.2 Dutch nonprofits such as Strong House and Fier have launched online chat resources connecting victims with crisis workers. In late April, the Dutch Government created a nationwide domestic violence awareness campaign with the motto “it doesn’t stop until you do something.” The campaign, promoted over television, radio, and social media, encourages reporting to a 24/7 national domestic violence network and provides advice via their website on how to deescalate violence, watch for signals, and ask for help.