“We Claim the Night” Campaign Lights up Groningen and NL
Digital signs, protests, and over €130,000 in donations highlight nationwide calls to tackle femicide and ensure women’s safety.
In response to the tragic murder of 17‑year‑old Lisa, Groningen has been illuminated by a powerful new message: “We claim the night, let women come home safely.” Floodlit across digital screens at the main station and other public spots since Sunday, the campaign spotlights the urgent need to end violence against women.
The initiative is part of a broader national movement that has already raised over €130,000, far surpassing its initial €3,500 goal. Funds are being used to project the message on digital highway billboards and to develop tangible safety measures for women. Campaign founder Danique de Jong of the feminist group Dolle Mina emphasises that the goal is deeper societal change: “Our society long ago decided women are worth less than men. It is time for that to change,” she told NOS.
Sales of self-defence tools like the blue X‑Marker “smurfenspray”, designed to help escape attacks, have surged, with stocks selling out within days. Vendors highlight that relying on women to buy safety products is only a temporary fix; structural solutions are essential.
Protests across cities
This wave of activism comes with growing protests against femicide across the Netherlands. On August 3, over 1,000 people marched through Rotterdam in a “Femicide March” organised by Dolle Mina—the group's first large-scale action in almost 50 years. Banners, portraits of victims, and red heels symbolised the lives lost and grieving families left behind.
“This march transcends gender and party politics,” said Dolle Mina member Joice. “Violence against women is not a women’s issue; it’s a societal issue.” Parliamentarian Songül Mutluer (GroenLinks‑PvdA) also addressed the crowd, stressing that €10 million has been allocated to combat femicide—though she called that “not enough.”
In Eindhoven, feminists held a silent protest at the train station, marking recent victims and raising awareness of warning signs of domestic violence—highlighting that in the Netherlands, one woman is murdered every eight days.
Shockingly high stakes: femicide remains a silent threat
Behind these protests lies a deeper crisis: every eight days, a woman is murdered in the Netherlands, often by an intimate partner. In 2022, 48 women died from femicide, with many cases tied directly to domestic abuse.
Public awareness is slowly growing. Statistics Netherlands reveals that 45% of women aged 15–25 alter their daily routes out of safety concerns, and nearly half of women in urban areas avoid going out alone after dark.