This document contains summaries of three life experiences: 1. The author was born in Casablanca in 1931 to Czech parents and lived in Prague until 1968 when she and her brother left Czechoslovakia and lived in the Netherlands. In 1981 she married a Canadian man who had recently murdered his first wife. 2. In 2014 the author's mother spent Christmas with her family but was then murdered by her husband in January 2015. The author learned of her mother's death from her stepbrother. 3. The author has worked for Europol in The Hague since 2007. She contacted victim support services in both the Netherlands and Canada regarding her stepfather who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her mother.

1. My Canadian experience

2. 1931 born in Casablanca – Czech parents
1934 family moved back to Prague
1968 left Czechoslovakia with my brother and me; lived
with us in the Netherlands
1981 married a Canadian, just a few days after he
murdered his first wife (nobody new) and she
emigrated to Canada
2015 January murdered by her husband
My Mother’s life

3. 2014 Christmas – she spent two weeks with us
2015 January
• Saturday 24th – lunch announcement of her departure
• Sunday 25th - My mother was murdered
• Monday 26th - I received the news about her death via
a telephone call from my stepbrother
• Friday the same week I was informed of the
arrest of my stepfather
Attempt to leave

4. EUROPOL HEADQUARTERSEUROPOL’S HQ – THE HAGUE, NL
I have worked for Europol based in The Hague
The Netherlands since 2007
Currently at the office of Europol’s Government Directorate
Contact with Victim Support Director Netherlands

5. March 23 - first contact with victim support NL
Mid-April - first contact with victim support Canada
May 13 stepfather sentenced for life
Fantastic support from both Canada and Netherlands!
• Stress the importance of good communication
• Directly check family members abroad
• Access to confidential victim support
trust issues
• Police contact in country of residence
managing denial
Victim support

6. Of the European Parliament and the Council of
25 October 2015
Particularly
• Article 8 Right to access victim support services
• Article 9 Support from victim support services
across borders
Directive 2012/29/EU

7. Thank you
Tereza Sernets