In EenVandaag’s broadcast on Monday 25 October 2021, Tamara Fischer, Associate Professor of Criminology at Erasmus School of Law, spoke about restraining orders which are judicially issued more and more in case of stalking. In the past five years, there has been an increased number of stalkers that faced a judge. The number of issued restraining orders has quadrupled. In 2016, 445 restraining orders were issued; in 2020, this number has risen to 1862.
Not only the number of restraining orders has increased, the number of trials for stalkers also increased by twenty percent. “The restraining order is meant to set boundaries and to bring peace to the victim, but it also stops stalkers. Some stalkers are scared off by it, especially if they have something to lose. For example, when they have to go to prison for some time, this could affect their career options in the long term. However, not all stalkers are stopped this way”, according to Fischer.
Enforcement of the restraining order
The police currently do not have the workforce and the right knowledge for proper enforcement of restraining orders. The restraining order is one of the few valuable instruments against stalking. “Despite the current challenges and the fact that the enforcement which is far from efficient and ideal, a restraining order is a vital instrument”, says Fischer. That is why it is a good development that more and more attention is being paid to restraining orders. “For victims, it offers recognition, and it is an instrument to reassure safety and peace”, according to Fischer.