A trial to give women a device which warns them their stalker is near is going to be extended, the justice ministry has said.

Some 31 victims of domestic violence and stalking in Rotterdam, The Hague and Tilburg have been carrying the device for a year, and now women in Amsterdam will be included in the trial.

The device is not a preventative measure. It is for women whose stalker has been given a restraining order and has to wear an electronic tagging device. The tag is connected to the police emergency department.  When the presence of a stalker is detected, the probation service sends a message to the device to warn the woman. Depending on the circumstances, police will take action.

The trial is one of the measures taken following an official report into the death of Hümeyra Ergincanli, who was killed by her ex-boyfriend in 2018. Police and social services showed ‘serious shortfalls’ in her protection after she reported the harassment to officials, the justice and safety inspectorate found.

In 2024, the situation had improved but communication with the victims still fell short, the justice ministry said.

“This device can make the difference between living in constant fear and a sense of security,” Amsterdam public health alderman Alexander Scholtes told broadcaster NOS.

One of the first women to take part in the trial said she felt much safer carrying the device. “I could go to sports competitions again, go to shopping centres… and take my child with me, which I wouldn’t do before. It not only gave me back my life but my child got hers back as well,” she told the broadcaster.

Carli van Winsen, of the Arosa women’s refuge also said the device works. “Victims feel they can leave their homes safely and that they can start to build up their lives again and not have to think about whether a place is safe or not,” she said.

The device and probation service support are free, but because local councils are individually responsible for healthcare, the scheme cannot be immediately rolled out nationally, the justice ministry said.