COC &
Safety
We want everyone in Groningen and Drenthe to feel that they can be themselves, without fear or shame. We are building towards a region where LGBTQIA+ people feel safe. A place where, as a queer person, you can be who you want to be, you can express yourself, and where you can show your love for your partner when and wherever you want. Every citizen of Groningen and Drenthe has a right to work, exercise, go out, grow up and, simply, to live in safety.
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This is why:
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In regional politics and police departments, we advocate for measures aimed to improve visibility, representation, and safety of LGBTQIA+ people;
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We work together with Roze in Blauw Noord Nederland, the LGBTQIA+ organisation for Dutch police workers;
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We monitor the health and safety of LGBTQIA+ inhabitants of Groningen and Drenthe (through our own followers, but also by being in touch with partner organisations such as Waard and other LGBTQIA+ associations);
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We promote acceptance at schools, sports clubs and in healthcare.
​Have you experienced anything you wish to share? Would you like to talk to someone, report anything to us, are you considering filing a police statement and need our help?
You can get in touch with our safety coordinator via the button below.
You can also leave a voice message in our inbox, via 0031(0)503132620​
National discrimination helpline
If you want to file a report with the national antidiscrimination services, please visit https://discriminatie.nl or call (+31)0800 0880.
Besides helping you file your report, the helpline offers legal advice, support and guidance. The helpline is anonymous and free of charge.
Antidiscrimination services in Groningen are part of the LGBTQIA+ association Waard, who have a visitors address in the city of Groningen and can be visited by appointment (Oosterhamrikkade 66-23).
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Filing a report or police statement is important: it may not only have consequences for the perpetrator but also puts you in control, and helps document the persistence of discrimination.
If statistics continue to evince that discrimination exists, we can move governments to act.
Roze in Blauw (police)
Roze in Blauw (‘pink in blue’, referring to the blue colour of police uniforms) is a network within the Dutch national police force. LGBTQIA+ police officers from different parts of the organisation strive for visibility and connection with the public, in order to emphasize the importance of reporting incidents that are related to sexual orientation or gender identity.
Many people, it turns out, do not feel like reporting a crime or violation to the police is an option for them. Roze in Blauw aims to lower this threshold by building more trust between the LGBTQIA+ community and the police. To achieve this, officers from Roze in Blauw actively engage with the community, aiming to be approachable and visible.
More information can be found on the website of Roze in Blauw.