Overview
- Justice Minister David van Weel announced an inquiry on Wednesday to study whether some women in defined high‑risk situations should be allowed to carry pepper spray under strict conditions.
- The proposed scheme would target specific cases such as stalking, relationship conflict, and potential honour‑based violence and would consider police authorization rather than full legalization.
- Van Weel said pepper spray can give a feeling of safety but warned of clear risks, including attackers seizing the device, users disabling themselves through inexperience or wind, and misuse against other citizens or police.
- Women’s rights groups and victim‑support organisations criticized the idea as shifting responsibility onto victims, warned it could escalate violence, and demanded careful research into both perceived safety and real outcomes.
- Next steps include consultations with safety partners and Danish experts and evidence gathering before any legal change; the move follows public debate since the September murder of 17‑year‑old Lisa.