General
'This is frightening': More Dutch people show understanding for a man who beats his wife
Research by the Universities of Amsterdam and Tilburg indicates that the number of Dutch citizens who consider it justified for a man to beat his wife has slightly increased, dropping from 88% in 2012 to 84% in 2026. Staatssecretaris Judith Tielen (Emancipatie, VVD) described these findings as frightening, noting that 15.8% of respondents find such violence acceptable. The study highlights that younger people and those with less stable financial situations are less likely to condemn domestic violence. Additionally, more individuals view it as problematic if women earn more than their male partners, while women report feeling increasingly unsafe due to sexual intimidation, partly attributed to the 2025 murder of 17-year-old Lisa. Researchers attribute these shifts to changing societal views and the influence of the manosphere, urging continued attention to emancipation policies.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's