Men’s march against violence sparks debate over protection
The organisers want to call men to account, while Emancipator warns against traditional gender roles.
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A men’s march against violence against women and children is planned in Amsterdam for Saturday 10 October. The organisers want to mobilise men as bearers of safety, but that wording has drawn criticism from Emancipator and other feminist voices.
According to the organisers, the march will begin on Dam Square and end at Museumplein. Women are invited to wait for the participants there, while they are not being called on to join the march. The organisers say men must take responsibility for a culture in which women and children feel safer.
The march’s website states that not all men are perpetrators, but that men can be part of the solution. The organisation wants to encourage participants to challenge one another over sexism, abuse and violence. The expected turnout on Saturday has not been announced.
Emancipator says it welcomes the call against gender-based violence, but remains critical of the image of men as protectors. According to the organisation, this can reinforce traditional ideas in which men provide safety and women receive protection. Emancipator says it intends to be present along the route on Saturday, but will not join the march.
The debate is therefore not about whether violence against women exists, but about the approach chosen. The march emphasises personal responsibility, setting an example and challenging other men. Feminist critics also want attention paid to power relations, perpetration, prevention and changing norms that can support violence.
Dutch safety figures provide context for the debate, but do not directly say anything about the march. The police previously reported that in 2025 six in ten young women sometimes felt unsafe. The police also recorded more reports of online sexual abuse in 2025 than a year earlier. The announced march is a citizens’ initiative; it is not a government programme and there has not yet been an independent evaluation of the approach.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The march is planned for 10 October in Amsterdam.
- The organisers want to call men to account for responsibility for safety.
- Emancipator supports the aim but criticises the emphasis on men as protectors.
- The police reported that six in ten young women sometimes felt unsafe in 2025.
Left
Arguments Seeks to tackle gender-based violence by explicitly discussing power relations and traditional norms of masculinity. From this perspective, a march should not only protect, but also call men to account for their role in preventing violence.
Values Equality, emancipation, shared responsibility and structural prevention.
Consequences Fears that a protector framing makes women dependent and makes perpetration less visible.
Centre
Arguments Sees value in a broad, visible appeal that involves men in the issue, but wants to link the march to concrete prevention, education and cooperation with existing organisations.
Values Practical cooperation, an institutional approach and inclusivity.
Consequences Emphasises that symbolism can be useful, but that little will change without follow-up policy.
Right
Arguments Emphasises individual responsibility, order and calling men to account for their behaviour in public spaces and within families.
Values Personal duty, safety and social norms.
Consequences Fears that an overly structural analysis diverts attention from immediate intervention in cases of threats and violence.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The facts about the date, route and organisational positions were checked directly with the organisers and Emancipator. The police data are broader than violence against women and were therefore not used as direct evidence for the march.
- confirmed The march is scheduled for 10 October from Dam Square to Museumplein. — Mentioned on the organisers’ website. source
- confirmed Emancipator supports the call against gender-based violence but criticises the protector framing. — Public statement by Emancipator. source
- confirmed Six in ten young women sometimes felt unsafe in 2025. — Police report referring to Statistics Netherlands figures. source
- confirmed The march has not yet had an independently measured effect. — The march has yet to take place; no evaluation is available. source
Editor's note
The march has been announced for 10 October and has not yet taken place. The arguments of the organisers and Emancipator are presented as positions; attendance figures and effects are unknown.Sources
- Mannenmars | een veilige wereld voor iedereen — Mannenmars
- Nog even over de Mannenmars (2) — Emancipator
- Meer mensen voelen zich onveilig — Politie
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „amsterdam mannenmars”
- NOS — „amsterdam mannenmars”
- Het Parool — „amsterdam mannenmars”