8th international EFJCA Conference | 30 November & 1 December 2026 | Portlaoise (Ireland)

Bio Jolande Ter Avest

Jolande ter Avest is a Dutch family law attorney. With 20 years of experience, she specialises in complex family law cases involving domestic abuse, coercive control and child protection.

She is a passionate advocate for the safety of women and children and a strong voice in the fight against femicide. Through her legal practice, independent investigations and training of legal and child protection professionals, she works to improve the recognition of coercive control and strengthen the response of the justice system to domestic violence. Her work is driven by a central conviction: safety must be at the heart of justice.

Presentation ‘Can she trust the State? Femicide, justice and the responsibility to protect'

By the time a woman seeks help, often she has endured repeated violence, intimidation and coercive control. Her decision to reach out places a profound responsibility on the state and it's actors. This presentation explores the role of the justice system in recognising patterns of violence and providing effective protection before violence becomes fatal. Drawing on experiences from family law and criminal justice, it examines how fragmented legal proceedings and failures to recognise coercive control can undermine the safety of women and children.

What does it mean to be a trustworthy state when women seek protection? And how can we ensure that justice is not only delivered after femicide, but also serves to prevent it?