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2011

21 December 2011
Master's Program in Victimology & Criminal Justice
We are happy to inform you about the positive decision on our application for accreditation of the Master’s Program in Victimology and Criminal Justice (MSc). The program will start in August 2012. The various courses are taught by victimological experts affiliated with INTERVICT and by international renowned guest lecturers.
More information

1 December 2011
Tilburg University has appointed Deborah Hensler as guest professor Empirical Legal Studies on Mass Claim Resolution. Over the next several years, with colleagues at Tilburg, Professor Hensler will study private and public mass claim resolution systems, with a particular focus on the perspectives of victims.
More information

17 November 2011
We are very proud to announce that prof. dr. Jan van Dijk has been awarded the Stockholm Prize in Criminology 2012 for his sustained leadership of the International Crime Victims Survey (ICVS) since 1989.
Learn more about the International Jury's considerations.

23 August 2011
Dr. Antony Pemberton is appointed associate professor at INTERVICT. Antony Pemberton studied Political Sciences at Nijmegen University. He subsequently worked as a researcher and as a senior staff member of Dutch Victim support. In 2007 he became a senior reseacher at INTERVICT where he has been involved in research into victims of terrorism, the EU Framework Decision on Victims of Crime, victims needs and risk management in domestic violence. His Ph D thesis is entitled the Cross-over.

18 August 2011
Prof. Stefan Bogaerts was interviewed by BNR News Radio on shooting incidents and vandalism on Dutch highways.

24 June 2011
In the news: Anne-Marie de Brouwer
During the 20:00 o'clock news ( NOS-journaal ) of 24 June 2011, excerpts of the book De mannen die mij hebben vermoord (The Men Who Killed Me) were read out and pictures of the book were shown on Dutch TV (at 18:02 minutes). This was done in follow-up to the conviction of the former Minister of Women and Family Affairs Pauline Nyiramasuhuko before the ICTR for genocide, including rape.
More information: interview with Anne-Marie de Brouwer co-author of the book The man who killed me and background information.

9 June 2011
In the news: Antony Pemberton
Antony Pemberton, Leo van Garsse and Ido Weijers published an article in the regional newspaper Brabants Dagblad in which they criticize the TV program De confrontatie. In this program the victim visits the perpetrator unannounced. They also published an article on the website of Sociale vraagstukken.
Antony Pemberton works as senior researcher at INTERVICT.

28 May 2011
Two special awards for Marc Groenhuijsen
At the annual meeting of Victim Support Europe, held in Moscow from 25 till 28 May, Marc Groenhuijsen received two special awards.
The first is an Honorary life membership of Victim Support Europe, "in honor of the special recognition of the unique and substantial contribution made to improve the position of victims of crime in Europe" (membership of VSE is open for national Victim Support Organisations; the Constitution only allows for three individual members).
The second is the 'Choice Award' by the Russian Victim Support Organisation, an "annual award for your courage in fighting against crimes".

14 April 2011
Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour Exploitation
Combating trafficking in human beings (THB) for labour exploitation requires additional skills, knowledge and awareness for effective investigation and prosecution, and for the identification and assistance of victims of this form of THB. Actors other than the police and the prosecution services (such as labour inspectorates, social investigation services and municipalities) have also become involved in these activities.
More information

6 April 2011
Hedwig van Bakel is appointed Professor of Infant Mental Health See press release

5 April 2011
INTERVICT researchers Suzan van der Aa and Pinar Okur published an article in De Volkskrant of 5 April.

22 March 2011
Rianne Letschert is appointed Professor of Victimology and International Law See press release

28 February 2011
Call for Participants: Transitional Justice Mechanisms Study Trip to Rwanda
Together Against Impunity in the Great Lakes Region (TAI/GLR) – Rwanda, is planning to organize a study tour to Rwanda from 11th – 15th July, 2011 to educate participants about Transitional Justice mechanisms adopted after the 1994 genocide and is seeking applications from interested individuals. The deadline for application is closed on the 23rd of April 2011.
The study tour is designed to clarify how it is extremely complex to re-build a society after the genocide, and will be comprised of two components: a literature study and a study tour. It will involve all stakeholders in Rwanda, visiting genocide memorial sites, solidarity camps and different crucial institutions involved in reconciliation efforts.
The study is open to about 25-40 participants; students, professionals, researchers and academics who are interested in learning about transitional justice in a post genocide society. Added to this group will be a small group of students of Rwandan universities from various disciplines.
The main language of conference will be in English, but Francophone students with a reasonable knowledge of English are also welcome. In addition to the flight costs, each participant is supposed to pay US$ 750.00 (around 550 Euros) for tuition, accommodation, meals and transport within Rwanda covering the period of the study tour.
Interested applicants shall submit an application letter explaining reasons of their interest to participate (motivation statement not more than 600 words) together with their curriculum vitae, to taiglr@yahoo.com
Please follow the link for the full program
The Tilburg Law School of Tilburg University offers two scholarships (€ 2,000 per person) for interested master students in law. These students will not only receive the scholarship, but they will also get 6 ECTS when, in addition to participating in the study trip, they write a paper on the topic. They will receive the 6 ECTS as a substitute for the course International Criminal Prosecution of Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity. In other words, students will not attend this course in September 2011, but instead actively participate in the study trip to Rwanda and write a paper. Master students at Tilburg Law School interested in this scholarship shall submit a separate motivation statement by 20th March 2011 explaining why they should be considered for this scholarship. The decision of award of scholarship shall be communicated to students after a consultative evaluation by and/or meeting with Dr. Roelof Haveman, Dr. Anne-Marie de Brouwer and Mr. Alphonse Muleefu, on 25th March 2011.

6 February 2011
De mannen die mij hebben vermoord
By Anne-Marie de Brouwer, Sandra Ka Hon Chu and Samer Muscati.
This Dutch translation of “The Men Who Killed Me: Rwandan Survivors of Sexual Violence” features testimonials from seventeen survivors. Through their narratives and portrayals, sixteen women and one man bear witness to the crimes committed against hundreds of thousands of others. Proceeds from this book will go to Mukomeze, a charitable organization established by Anne-Marie de Brouwer, to improve the lives of girls and women who survived sexual violence in the Rwandan genocide.
More information

1 February 2011
The New Faces of Victimhood. Globalization, Transnational Crimes and Victim Rights
Besides generating wealth, globalization makes victims, including victims of new forms of crime. In this edited book of scholarly essays, lawyers, criminologists, psychologists and political scientists reflect on the legal challenges posed by these dark sides of globalization. Examples include transnational organised crime, human trafficking and corruption, cyber crimes, international terrorism, global corporate crime and cross-border environmental crimes. The authors reflect on the limits of domestic systems of justice in providing protection, empowerment and redress to the victims of these emerging forms of global insecurity. They argue for the need of better international or supranational institutional arrangements such as legal instruments and actions of the United Nations or regional organizations such as the European Union.
More information

2010

22 March 2010
Victims in Europe
The Report includes information about the national reality of each of the 27 Member-States of EU, as well as a comparative analysis on this issue, pursuing a transnational perspective of the implementation. As the Framework Decision relates to various subjects that require actual, rather than legal implementation to be effective in improving the position of victims, we also developed an organisational survey which provides information on the actual, organisational effects of the Framework Decision in the member states. This Report was developed in the course of the activities of Project Victims in Europe, co-financed by the European Commission under the Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security and promoted by APAV (Portuguese Association for Victim Support) on behalf of Victim Support Europe. The Report was developed in close cooperation between APAV and Intervict, the International Victimology Institute in Tilburg.
Final report

18 January 2010
Assisting Victims of Terrorism
The large-scale terrorist attacks on 9/11 resulted in more attention being devoted to victims of terrorist acts. Discussions took place on how their needs could be best accommodated. The Madrid bombings in March 2004 gave further impetus to this process. This development is also part of a recent trend towards general victim of crime policies that branch out into specialized policies devised to meet the needs of particular groups of victims such as victims of trafficking, victims of sexual violence and abuse or victims of traffic accidents. However, although a movement of national and international solidarity relating to addressing the needs of victims of terrorism has developed, political consensus is still fragile.
This book provides a thorough analysis of the specific needs of victims of terrorism (using both legal and psycho-social studies), compared to victims of other forms of crime. The study combines different disciplines, enabling to combine the different perspectives leading to synergy in the analysis of the legal and psycho-social needs of victims of terrorism. Furthermore the appropriateness of restorative justice practices in the context of terrorism is included and provides challenging new insights.
More information

2009

2 December 2009
Slachtofferhulp vertoont leemten
Slachtoffers van misdrijven, verkeersongevallen, rampen en medische fouten zoeken vooral erkenning, de waarheid en excuses van of straf voor de dader. Dat blijkt uit een onderzoeksrapport van de Universiteit van Tilburg. Schadevergoeding is voor slachtoffers niet het belangrijkste.
Slachtoffers van misdrijven willen vooral dat de dader door de rechter wordt terechtgewezen, aldus het rapport Leemten in de slachtofferhulpverlening. Slachtoffers van rampen willen dat de waarheid boven tafel komt en slachtoffers van medische fouten dat de medische hulpverleners open kaart spelen en excuses aanbieden.
Uit gesprekken met verschillende soorten slachtoffers blijkt dat velen van hen niet tevreden zijn over de gang van zaken. Daders komen er volgens de slachtoffers vaak te gemakkelijk vanaf. Bij rampen heeft men het gevoel dat de waarheid niet echt boven tafel komt. Gedupeerden van medische fouten menen dat de gemaakte fouten worden verzwegen of ontkend en dat hen geen hulp wordt aangeboden. Op al deze gebieden liggen er volgens de onderzoekers nog belangrijke verbeterpunten.
Het verkennende, kwalitatieve onderzoek is uitgevoerd door prof. dr. Jan van Dijk en Fanny Klerx MSc, verbonden aan het onderzoeksinstituut Intervict van de Universiteit van Tilburg. Het onderzoek, dat werd gesubsidieerd door het Fonds Slachtofferhulp, bestond in hoofdzaak uit het organiseren van focusgroepen met groepen slachtoffers, waarbij de deelnemers hun ervaringen met elkaar uitwisselden. In totaal zijn de verhalen opgetekend en geanalyseerd van 72 slachtoffers van verschillende typen ernstige gebeurtenissen.

31 August 2009
Marc Groenhuijsen, director of INTERVICT, has been elected as President of the World Society of Victimology during the last international symposium in Japan.
At this moment the World Society has 600 members from all over the world. Together with Marc Groenhuijsen INTERVICT aims to further increase the quality of the World Society, including many more outstanding scholars from different disciplines.
The term of the presidency will be three years, untill the next international symposium in 2012 that will be held in The Hague. This symposium will be organised by INTERVICT, Victim Support Europe and the Leuven Institute for Criminology.

29 August 2009
The World Society of Victimology has awarded dr. Rianne Letschert with the 'Beniamin Mendelsohn Young Scholar Award'. This accomplishment award was given at the Awards Ceremony on 28 August at the 13th International Symposium on Victimology in Japan.
The 'Beniamin Mendelsohn Young Scholar Award' is given to a promising young scholar (under 35 years of age) who has made an outstanding scholarly contribution to Victimology.

20 July 2009
From 20 to 24 July some of our staff are in Rwanda to co-organize and speak at the international conference on 'victimological approaches to international crimes".