D66 rectifies MeToo publications, compensation victim | Inland

The case revolves around former party prominent and lobbyist Frans van Drimmelen. A public report from BING into the matter seemed to exonerate him of transgressive behavior towards the D66 employee, but a secret appendix states that Van Drimmelen was indeed guilty of stalking, threats and blackmail.

D66 said in a statement on Sunday that the victim did not object to the public report also stating that Van Drimmelen had made a mistake. Yet this did not happen and the party also did not respond to several requests from the former employee to rectify the conclusion from the public report that there was no question of transgressive behaviour.

no openness

The party states in the statement that full disclosure was not given to protect the former employee. “The bureau said: then we give away some of her privacy, and she said not,” said board member Wietske Veltman at the members’ meeting that was organized about the issue. “Primarily, of course, it was about her privacy, so there was friction there.”

D66 now says that the party should have been more open. “With the current knowledge, the current board believes that it should have been explicitly stated that there was cross-border behavior and openness should have prevailed.”

D66 regrets that the party handled the original report of Van Drimmelen’s undesired behavior and the BING report from last year. “We believe that an appropriate arrangement has now been made that meets the interests of the former employee.” Legal expenses she has had to incur will be compensated and she will receive compensation for immaterial damage she has suffered. The woman will donate a significant part of it to a foundation that works for women’s rights. The current employer of the former D66 employee also receives partial compensation for costs incurred there.

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