2023-05-23 15:17:05
This concerned the open letter that the family of Julie Van Espen, murdered in 2019 in Antwerp, published four years after her death. The young woman had been killed by Steven Bakelmans, a man who had already been convicted twice of rape. The victim’s father pleaded for an in-depth review of disciplinary law within the judiciary, but also welcomed the many women who are involved in the fight against sexual violence.
“Sometimes friends ask us if there is still anger after four years. Yes, she is still there, ”said Erik Van Espen. “We are still very angry because no one has taken responsibility for Julie’s case, and certainly not within the judiciary. We didn’t get a lot of support. »
The family of Julie Van Espen therefore concludes that the disciplinary law must be thoroughly re-examined. “It’s not progressing! There are few disciplinary files, and certainly none on malfunctions. In his view, the minimum time to submit a file should be longer and the limitation period should be more flexible. A first challenge for the next legislature would therefore be the evaluation of heads of corps. Erik Van Espen said he was aware that a two-thirds majority was required to carry out such a reform. But “the reactions to our open letter show that most parties think it should be possible”.
Beyond this anger, the family also wants to use its energy to invest in projects aimed at improving justice. Erik Van Espen listed a series of other measures he considers necessary to prevent tragedies like the one his daughter suffered, including the mandatory monitoring of offenders during and after their sentence.
The father of the young student also recognized a number of positive developments such as the creation of five centers for the management of sexual violence (CPVS), described as a “top achievement”. “We, as a family, have also met an incredible number of women who have taken up the fight against sexual violence with passion and idealism. They are women with a mission,” he said.
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