{"id":136029,"date":"2022-02-14T14:20:51","date_gmt":"2022-02-14T13:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=136029"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:07","slug":"government-wants-to-do-more-against-sexual-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/02\/14\/government-wants-to-do-more-against-sexual-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"Government wants to do more against sexual violence"},"content":{"rendered":"

The news about The Voice and Ajax shows that ‘extra efforts’ are needed in the battle against sexual violence, in the opinion of Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf. He is coming up with a national action plan and a special #MeToo commissioner.<\/p>\n

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SER chairperson and former MP Mari\u00ebtte Hamer becomes '#MeToo Commissioner'.<\/span><\/p>

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\u201cA deeply-rooted, broad social problem like inappropriate sexual behaviour and sexual violence requires a thorough, coordinated effort by the government\u201d, says<\/a> Dijkgraaf.<\/p>\n

To help the government, Mari\u00ebtte Hamer will become government commissioner for \u2018inappropriate sexual behaviour and sexual violence\u2019 in April, he writes in a letter to the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n

Hamer is currently president of the Social and Economic Council (SER) and is a former group chair of the PvdA and a former chair of the Dutch Student Union. She was one of the inquirers in the recent coalition formation process.<\/p>\n

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Cultural change<\/h2>

According to the government, a \u201cfundamental cultural change\u201d is needed to put an end to inappropriate sexual behaviour. A lot has been done since the emergence of #MeToo in 2017, says Dijkgraaf, but the recent revelations show \u201cthat extra efforts are needed\u201d.<\/p>\n

It is not yet clear what this will mean for higher education and scientific research. This spring the government will give the House of Representatives further details of the outlines and elaboration of the action plan.<\/p>\n

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Incidents<\/h2>

Dijkgraaf does mention teaching and research, however. In that sector there is, he believes, \u201ca lot of attention being paid to this problem\u201d. He refers for example to the forthcoming<\/a> advisory report \u2018Breeding ground and prevention of inappropriate behaviour in the academic world\u2019 by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, the Inspectorate of Education is carrying out an investigation into social safety in higher education\u201d, says Dijkgraaf. \u201cParticular attention is being paid to art and fashion schools.\u201d Several incidents<\/a> have indeed occurred there.<\/p>\n

In Flanders too some cases of inappropriate behaviour have been in the news<\/a> in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\t

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Lees meer<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t