Femicide; de meest voorspelbare moord

Recognition

The Netherlands signed the Istanbul Convention, committing to prevent and combat violence against women. Therefore, change has become a requirement. But in the meantime, the numbers aren't decreasing. The taboo needs to be broken, and we must raise more awareness about femicide.

There is much debate regarding the term femicide in the Netherlands. News reports often use neutral terms, which undermine the understanding of these murders. Femicide is the international term for fatal gender-related violence against women.

Not all killings of women are femicide. Femicide includes (ex-) partner homicides, sexual homicides, and honor killings. The act is committed out of contempt, feelings of superiority, control, or power over the woman. Misogyny, sexism, or misconceptions about masculinity and femininity are often the underlying causes.

It is essential that femicide, along with a clear definition, becomes recognized in the Netherlands, and that we start to name it as femicide. This is an important first step in raising awareness and reducing the rates.

About the installation

“Femicide; de meest voorspelbare moord” is a crime scene that tells the story of femicide in the Netherlands. The audience is confronted with the lifeless body of a woman in a bodybag. The bag is used to introduce femicide as an official term. Surrounding the scene, the term is contextualized with shocking statistics, information, and audio clips. The goal is to raise awareness about femicide in the Netherlands and to clarify the meaning of the term.