Rosa Jansen
Friday, January 10th 2025
A message from VSE President, Rosa Jansen
Dear colleagues,
As we move into the coming year, I wish for us more courage, more boldness, which we can use to make the world around us a better place. We need to rise, go out, seize opportunities, and not let ourselves be distracted by bureaucracy or be held back by the actions of groups of fools who make it harder to live together. I’m not advocating recklessness—rules are good and they must keep us safe—but a little more daring, as shown by our (predecessors), could do no harm. Especially in the EU, we risk forgetting how good we have it, how much hope there is, and what we can achieve when we join forces.
Let’s be honest, the world sometimes feels like one big, inevitable mess. Every day, we’re overwhelmed by reports of war, climate disasters, hot spots, extreme and deadly weather, and a growing malaise. It’s tempting to be swept away by this tsunami of negativity. Just before New Year’s Eve, a national Dutch newspaper asked its readers where they still find happiness amidst wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, climate disasters, housing shortages, rising food prices, and intense polarization. There were many responses. One person shared that they found happiness in chatting with strangers, another in the smell of coffee and printed ink at breakfast, and yet another in the joy of singing in a twelve-member men’s choir they had recently joined.
If I had been one of those letter writers, I would have added that I find comfort in my work at Victim Support. While some fools thoughtlessly threw firebombs into homes more than 1,100 times in various cities in 2024, we are here, 24/7, offering help. People would be surprised how different reality can be. There, amidst pain and loss, you find something that seems almost rare: hope, assistance, resilience, and human goodness.
It’s no secret that employees at victim support often step into people’s lives at their most vulnerable moments—moments that are rarely rosy. In fact, these people are often in the deepest valleys of darkness, loss, and confusion. Yet our employees are there. They stay. They listen. They support. They offer not just practical help and a beacon of calm but sometimes even a lifeline from the bureaucratic swamp in which victims often drown. But perhaps more importantly, they restore something essential: trust in society. They offer hope. They show that the concept of neighborliness, that old idea of caring for each other, is still very much alive.
In a time dominated by alarmism, vengeance, and distrust, this is no small feat. The stories from our own organization, Victim Support Europe, remind us that there are still people who truly see each other and who stand ready in the toughest times. This is more important than ever because, let’s face it: there is plenty of reason for pessimism.
We stand at the beginning of a new era. The world is literally and figuratively on fire. Geopolitical shifts, economic instability, hotspots, a crumbling international rule of law, and the rise of AI are shaking our foundations. Add the threat of nuclear bombs and a stalling Gulf Stream, and you have a cocktail of apocalyptic proportions. It seems almost like a matter of time before something definitively breaks.
But it is precisely in these times that it is crucial to tell stories not about vengeance or retaliation but about love for the world and its civilization. We need to return to the basics. Self-control, justice, wisdom, courage, faith, hope, and love—these are the building blocks of a future that is sustainable, and not just in the ecological sense. From here, we can also develop our own story for the future.
If we only focus on what’s going wrong, all we’ll be left with are problems. Yes, those problems exist, and they are big. But there are also innovations, small sparks of light that make the world a little better every day. At Victim Support Europe, we see that up close. Step by step, victims’ rights are being improved. Take, for example, several current powerful projects (2gether4victims, BeneVict, IMPACT, and INVICTUS) we are leading that are fully underway and aim to substantially advance the rights of victims in dozens of EU countries. This may not make world headlines, but it is a victory. And every victory counts. The same goes for the 116 006 victims’ helplines that we’ll soon see established in every EU country.
The work of victim support gives me hope. It’s a reminder that progress is possible, even in the darkest times. It shows that healing begins with something small: listening, helping, supporting. So, let us face the new year with boldness. Let us write stories from hope and humanity. And let’s not forget that we ourselves can make a difference. A small gesture of compassion—one victim at a time—can mean a world of difference. The world may seem like a mess at times, but hope and goodness remain indispensable anchors. Let’s cherish them.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from victim support, it’s this: where despair and loss reign, there is also space for truth and healing. And with that thought, we can move forward. Let us, with confidence and humanity, face the future This future includes the VSE’s next multi-year strategy for 2026–2030, a plan we have all begun working hard on and will continue to finalize this year. You have already had, and will continue to have, the opportunity to contribute to and review this strategy.
Our aim is for this plan to convey that as humans, we are not defined by being victims. We also want to ensure that guilt and shame are not part of this. We want to spark a societal discussion about the position of victims. From a word and image full of judgment, to a narrative that is free from such judgment. The historic trial in France of the rape case of Gisèle Pelicot has already shaken society to its core. Other countries in Europe will follow suit. Victims should not feel ashamed of what has happened to them. The perpetrators should feel ashamed. Our multi-year plan will provide numerous touchpoints to strengthen the position of victims and support this societal shift.
The year 2025 will hold profound historical significance for the landscape of victims’ rights within the European Union (EU). It marks several milestones that reflect the progress we’ve made. Firstly, it commemorates the United Nations’ adoption of the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, the first global instrument focused on victims of crime. Additionally, 2025 will be the 25th anniversary of the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and the 35th anniversary of Victim Support Europe (VSE). To celebrate, VSE will launch its ambitious “2025 – Year of Victims’ Rights” campaign, which will prioritise the delivery of victim support by bringing together not only the global victim support community but also the United Nations and other partners.
Furthermore, 2025 represents the 5th anniversary of the EU Strategy for Victims’ Rights. This milestone provides an important opportunity to analyze the progress made under the strategy. It also underscores the necessity of renewing and advancing this strategy to ensure continued support and empowerment for victims in the years ahead.
There’s much going on in the world, and so at the beginning of a new year, I’d like to close with a moment of reflection on the eight basic principles of Stoic philosophy for a life of strength. Stoic philosophy presents itself as the way to true happiness.
I wish you all these principles for the year ahead:
- Focus on what you can control—that is, your own thoughts, judgments, and actions. Let go of things outside your control, such as others’ opinions or actions.
- Do not be burdened by imagined worries—as Seneca pointed out, we often suffer more in our thoughts than in reality.
- Wake up early—By getting up early, you can begin your day calmly and without distraction. A moment for reflection, a morning ritual, and going over your priorities for the day.
- Take one small step forward every day—No one is perfect, and Stoics see life as an ongoing exercise. Set daily goals, learn from mistakes, and improve each day.
- Study the lives of great leaders—Learn what to do and what not to do in certain situations by studying history. Let yourself be inspired.
- Define what success means to you—For everyone, success will mean something different. For Stoics, success is in living according to fundamental personal values, which allows you to be present in the moment with gratitude.
- Pursue the four Stoic virtues: wisdom, courage, justice, and moderation—True fulfillment (eudaimonia) is achieved when we live virtuously in harmony with nature.
- Memento Mori—Reflect on your own mortality and the finiteness of life. Because of this, be particularly mindful of how you spend your time.
I wish us all wisdom, courage, love, and much joy for 2025,
Rosa Jansen
President
Victim Support Europe (VSE)
