Photo Marte Hofsteenge At the start of this month, the municipality of Wageningen has launched an online reporting point for street harassment. Residents and students can easily report incidents via this website. On campus, several students have recently been spat on and/or pelted with objects.
The reporting site is intended to give the municipality more insight into the extent and nature of the problem. The site also offers tips for victims and bystanders, such as how to act in situations of harassment.
Too risky
Wei-Chun Hsu from Taiwan is one of many students who are concerned about safety around the WUR campus. On 3 October, she was spat on by two boys on a bicycle near the sports centre. ‘I couldn’t believe what was happening’, says Hsu. ‘They spat at me, shouted “Chinese” and laughed at me. I cycled away quickly, afraid of what else they might do. Now I mainly feel anger.’
Hsu has been living in Wageningen for over a year and has never experienced anything like this before. Since the incident, she avoids quiet places in the evening. ‘The police advised me not to carry pepper spray, but I don’t know what else I can do to feel safer.’
Nacer (first name known to the editors) had a similar experience two weeks ago. She was cycling on a dark, poorly lit road near the campus when she was confronted by a group of teenagers. ‘A boy of about 15 threw stones and sand at me, while two girls laughed. I wanted to stop, but I didn’t dare because I’m seven months pregnant. It felt too risky.’
Nacer has lived in Wageningen since 2016 and always felt safe, but this incident has changed that. ‘Maybe it’s because of my appearance, because I’m not blonde and I wear a headscarf. It made me feel like I don’t belong.’ Now she avoids dark streets and chooses busier cycle routes.
Pelted
Nacer and Hsu’s experiences are not isolated cases; other students have also reported harassment around the campus. ‘They seem to be out to scare people,’ says Ginna (full name known to the editors). Ginna’s friends share similar experiences: a Spanish student was pelted with stones, and a Dutch student was harassed by young people who shouted nasty comments.
Intimidation on and around campus is not a new problem: in recent years, violence against Asian WUR students has been in the news more often. In early 2020, a lift in a student flat was defaced with faeces, urine and the slogan: “die, Chinese”. Later that year, stones were thrown through the windows of three Chinese students.
Last year, a Chinese student was pelted with stones by a group of white youths from Wageningen and then beaten and kicked. This happened in front of the main building on campus. He was seriously injured. After the perpetrators were convicted, the intimidation on and around campus seemed to decrease, but according to WUR spokesperson Jan-Willem Bol, dozens of new reports have been received since the summer. A worrying number, he says.
Police
Many reports concern intimidation of students of Asian appearance, but Bol makes it clear that this is a broader problem. ‘The young people who intimidate others are jerks. The violence is not only directed at students of Asian appearance. We also received two reports from Dutch victims.’
Bol indicates that the investigation of the perpetrators is a matter for the police, but that WUR supports them by sharing police images. He calls on all students to always report such violence to the police and WUR. ‘This helps to get a better picture of what is going on. It also gives us the opportunity to offer help, for example in the form of counselling by a student psychologist.’
The police also confirm the increase in youth nuisance around the WUR campus and call on victims to report incidents and file a report. ‘Reports are crucial for an effective approach and locations are included in our surveillance,’ says a spokesperson.
Improving safety
Mayor Floor Vermeulen emphasises that violence is unacceptable and has no place in Wageningen. ‘We ask victims to report incidents and work closely with the police, the Public Prosecution Service and the university to ensure that the perpetrators are identified.’ Although the reporting centre was not set up directly because of the recent incidents on and around the Wageningen campus, the municipality hopes that it will contribute to a safer Wageningen. So far, nine reports have been received by the reporting centre.
The incidents raise the question of what measures are needed to improve safety. Hsu argues that more cameras should be installed. ‘At the very least, that will deter offenders or help to identify the young people causing trouble.’ Nacer hopes that inconspicuous security guards can help keep a closer eye on hotspots. She also advocates for more lighting on dark cycle paths, so that students feel safer.
This article was previously published in De Gelderlander/Daniël Dellink. Translated with help of DeepL.
