Anne maps out unsafe places: ‘Do not want to cycle here in the evening’

“No, I wouldn’t want to cycle here in the evening,” says Anne firmly at the bicycle tunnel next to the Mgr. Frencken College in Oosterhout. In the meantime, two boys on Fatbikes rage over the sidewalk at high speed. “There is little lighting, no supervision and you don’t know what you’ll find around the corner.”

The bicycle tunnel is one of the nearly thirty locations in Oosterhout that is experienced as unsafe. Anne received the places after a call on social media, which made more than a hundred responses. “The majority of people gave locations that feel unsafe, for example due to little street lighting or lots of bunches, or where they have experienced street intimidation,” she says.

Amphia Hospital, a bicycle tunnel at the children’s farms, the cycle path at the Slotbosse Toren and the Polderweg to Raamsdonksveer are on the map. “They are many remote places where there is little social control,” notes Anne.

Anne himself once experienced an unsafe situation, as a student in Tilburg. She was chased by a man in the evening. “That made me feel anxious,” she says. “I started walking harder, rang the doorbell to people and they brought me safely to my student room.”

The event still has an impact on her. Before she gets home by bike in the evening, Anne always calls her husband to let them know that she is on the way. “A habit that is unfortunately very recognizable for many women and girls,” she notes. “Sad that that’s the norm.”

She argues for an extensive inventory of places that are experienced as unsafe, but also for more awareness, prevention and better assistance from the police, municipality and Veilig Thuis. That is why, together with fellow councilor Djenny Kastelijns, she submitted the motion ‘Everyone always safe, at home and on the street’ to the city council.

It was held unanimously this week. “It made me emotional,” says Anne. “Everyone feels that it’s time to tackle this problem.” Personal stories from female councilors Marie-Louise van Mook (PvdA) and Jacqueline Kuhlmann (GroenLinks) emphasized that. They both said they had bad experiences with men.

Mayor Gerdo van Grootheest also feels the need. “We did not solve this terrible social issue tomorrow, but there is really no excuse not to get started today.”

The municipality of Oosterhout is therefore going to make extensive inventory of which places are experienced as unsafe. Anne has already taken a first step. Furthermore, people are extra alerted to reporting points, there must be a assistance platform and it is checked which campaigns the municipality can join. For example, the municipality recently participated in ‘Orange the World‘, with buildings orange colors to draw attention to violence against women and girls.

All measures must ultimately ensure that women start to feel safer on the Oosterhout streets. “I hope someday that I dare to get on my bike, without having to report the home front. All women and girls should be able to experience that.”