You have probably noticed the commotion surrounding the TV program The Voice and the allegations against coaches and other employees of the program in the Netherlands right now. Tim Hofman, with his online programme BOOS, released shocking statements from victims about sexual harassment and assault at the talent show The Voice and asked for a response from the major production houses ITV, RTL and Talpa.

What is going on?

Stories about sexual harassment and assault have been circulating in the Dutch showbiz world for a long time. The first allegations against Marco Borsato came in 2020, but with his special episode of “BOOS”, Tim Hofman and his team had been working on an investigation into this immense problem for quite some time. Stories soon followed about others within the program and within the organization(s) behind the program. And in the high-profile episode of BOOS, we quickly learned what kind of culture and misdeeds employees and participants of the program “The Voice” had to deal with.

Talk about it

Watching the episode and hearing the stories isn’t easy for most of us. We are shocked, angry, sad and disappointed. Therefore it is always good to talk about your feelings with your friends, family and loved ones after processing all the news you have received.

But the reporting of the past week can be especially triggering if you have experienced sexual abuse or violence yourself. Know that you can always discuss this with your practitioner, even if you haven’t shared it before. But also know that it is never too late to reach out for help. As we are all hopefully now learning: the victim is never to blame.

http://www.centrumseksueelgeweld.nl