Marieke Liem: ‘Hidden warning signs preceding femicide deserve visibility’
Each year, around forty women in the Netherlands lose their lives, most often at the hands of a (former) partner or family member. Judges, lawyers and survivors now turn directly to Professor Marieke Liem for expertise. For her, this is telling: ‘The time has come for greater knowledge and a coordinated response.’
This article is part of the course Gender-Related Violence at the Centre for Professional Learning (CPL), Leiden University.
The role of childhood and upbringing
Femicide is often the tragic endpoint of patterns formed early in life. Many perpetrators witnessed domestic violence as children, and as a result may learn to resolve conflict through violence. ‘These patterns can persist across generations,’ says Liem.
In two-thirds of households where a woman is killed, children are present. They are the silent victims. ‘It has a huge ripple effect; their lives are deeply scarred,’ Liem stresses.
Top-down and bottom-up solutions
There is no quick fix, Liem emphasises: ‘It requires legal measures, insight into relationship dynamics, interdisciplinary collaboration and sustained commitment.’ Broad societal support is essential, with education, policy, care services and the justice system working hand in hand. Raising awareness, prevention and early detection are key to breaking cycles of violence.
The shift in attitudes towards child abuse shows change is possible. ‘A smack was once considered normal, but through research, awareness, legislation and policy, that changed. The same is needed for gender-based violence,’ says Liem.
Stagnation in homicide rates
While homicide in the Netherlands has declined sharply over the past 25 years, femicide has stagnated at around forty victims annually for the past decade. More than half of these women are killed by a (former) partner, with the proportion even higher among younger women.
Liem finds this deeply concerning: ‘We once managed to reduce these numbers, but progress has stalled. Overall homicide is still falling, but not homicide of women.’
Femicide has its own dynamics, often rooted in intimate relationships and unequal power. Patterns of coercive control, loss of status, psychological or psychiatric issues, addiction and poverty all increase the risk.
Power, status and the backlash effect
One explanation is the so-called backlash effect. Women’s emancipation and financial independence create more opportunities to leave relationships but can also trigger feelings of status loss in men. Liem explains: ‘Some men attempt to compensate for this perceived loss of status by belittling, humiliating, isolating or resorting to violence against their partner.’
'Many warning signs remain invisible. A broad, integrated approach is needed to bring the pieces together.'
Psychological vulnerabilities and hidden signals
In addition to power imbalances, mental health problems, addiction and debt often play a role. ‘These vulnerabilities go hand in hand,’ Liem says. This means institutions cannot address the issue in isolation. Collaboration can help, for example when a psychologist supports the police, or child protection consults a GP.
Yet many warning signs remain invisible, as each institution only sees part of the problem. That is why Liem calls for ‘a broad, integrated approach, one that brings the pieces together.’
Why victims remain silent
On average, dozens of incidents occur before help is sought; in three-quarters of cases there has been no prior contact with the police. Many women refrain from reporting abuse out of fear, shame or mistrust. Liem explains: ‘Some worry their children will be taken away, or that the perpetrator is monitoring them digitally.’
Coercive control is also difficult to prove, particularly when it involves psychological violence or threats. Liem notes: ‘A perpetrator may, for instance, say: I’ll kill your pet. Legally, that is hard to act upon.’
Improving access to support
For this reason, Liem advocates greater awareness of accessible support services, such as anonymous hotlines or safe spaces victims can turn to, particularly in situations of acute danger or in the vulnerable period after a breakup. ‘It is crucial for women to know there are options beyond filing a police report. That first step, without fear of consequences, must be easier.’
Fragmentation and the need for collaboration
According to Liem, current efforts are too fragmented: ‘Agencies want to expand their expertise, but too often this leads to isolated projects or training programmes, further fragmenting the field.’ Effective prevention, she argues, requires cooperation between child protection services, police, mental health care, addiction services, debt relief organisations and GPs.
Law and prevention
In the Netherlands, femicide is not yet recognised as a separate offence, though proposals have been made to increase sentencing. According to Liem: ‘Tougher sentences are not the solution; what matters is the certainty of being caught and prosecuted.’
Other countries place greater emphasis on prevention. Belgium and Malta have legally recognised femicide, while France and Spain invest in victim protection and specialised courts. Liem argues that the Netherlands should follow suit by strengthening prevention, tackling mental health issues, debt and parenting stress, and fostering open discussion of domestic violence.
'It's a societal issue; both men and women share responsibility.'
A societal issue
Femicide is not a women’s issue, yet at lectures the audience is still predominantly female. ‘If men are only portrayed as perpetrators, they disengage. We need them to be aware and actively involved in the conversation,’ Liem says. Men’s roles range from GPs and teachers to lawyers and local officers. A conversation with a trusted figure often feels safer. Breaking taboos and involving men is essential. ‘We must recognise this as a societal issue; men and women share responsibility.’
Education and professional development
In the Gender-Related Violence course, Liem provides professionals and students with practical tools to identify patterns and understand context. ‘It’s not a checklist but tailored work.’ She argues for an interdisciplinary approach: ‘A GP might need to work with mental health services, a police officer with debt relief. Only then can we respond effectively.’
Course: Gender-Related Violence
Femicide reveals how deeply rooted gender-based violence is, and how profound its impact—especially on children. Want to contribute to a coordinated response? Register for the Gender-Related Violence course (in Dutch) from 24 to 26 November at the CPL in The Hague.
More information and registration