1/4 An apartment in the renewed women’s shelter (photo: Megan Hanegraaf).
Women and children who flee for unsafe home situations in Den Bosch from now on get more privacy and safety. The women’s shelter has been renovated considerably and now has separate living spaces and extra security. Cost? Four million euros. But that was desperately needed.
Four years ago, Thijs Honig already indicated that the building was in urgent need of replacement. The shelter was located in an old school building from 1936, which was no longer suitable for the women and children who ended up here. “If you flight from your home situation after a traumatic experience, it is important to have your own place to relax. But that was not always possible here,” says Honig.
The rooms were small, barely big enough for a bed, and residents had to share the bathroom and kitchen. “I saw a woman coming in with her children. She should have left everything behind and ended up here in an outdated building that was aimed at group living. That broke my heart.”
Alderman Pieter Paul Slikker calls the former building ‘Oude Meuk’. Initially, an investment of one and a half million euros had been taken into account to redecorate the building. “We thought of new bathrooms, painting and a fresh look. But it soon became clear that much more had to be done,” explains Slikker.
“These women and children mainly need peace and privacy. That is why we have decided to take the extra step for them.” Group living with shared facilities had to make way for independent living spaces, comparable to luxury hotel rooms.
“They can pick up normal family life as much as possible.”
In the end, the municipality invested more than 4 million euros in the renovation. The building has been completely renovated and now offers considerably more comfort and safety. Women who come alone get an individual studio, while mothers with children get a family apartment. These apartments vary in size and are suitable for mothers with one to five children. There is room for a maximum of thirty residents.
“By offering everyone their own room with these facilities, they can pick up normal family life as much as possible,” says Honig. Think of cooking and eating together, doing homework or playing a game. “It is not a real at home, but this is closest to it. And so we can better prepare them for the future after the shelter.”
“They now live here independently within a protected facility.”
In addition to the private spaces, there are renewed common areas, such as a play area for children, workplaces and a living room where residents can come together if they want. Safety has also improved considerably: “We are safe care, no secret shelter. People know where we are, but you first get through a lock and there are cameras,” Honig explains. “And if there are visitors, they first have to ring the bell at a studio. Just like a normal house. They now live here independently within a protected facility.”
More than a hundred women and children use the daycare every year. On Tuesday afternoon, the shelter was officially opened after a major renovation of more than two years. Alderman Slikker emphasizes the importance of these types of reception locations: “One in five women will ever have to deal with violence from her partner in her life. It is important that we offer safe places so that this can stop violence.”
