Language and public safety intersect as researchers push to modernize medical terms like incompetent cervix
to reduce patient distress. Meanwhile, Dutch civic discussions in Amsterdam neighborhoods examine youth safety initiatives following the murder of 17-year-old Lisa in Abcoude, connecting everyday vulnerability with systemic policy changes.
Revisiting Medical Language Around Pregnancy and Loss
Linguistics research reveals that traditional clinical phrasing often carries unintended emotional consequences for patients. Linguistics researcher Dr Beth Malory studies language around pregnancy and loss, noting that clinical terms require rigorous evaluation to ensure clarity without causing harm. One phrase highlighted in her research is incompetent cervix
, which describes the shortening of the cervix that can increase risks of pregnancy loss and early birth. Women told her it made them feel blamed for the medical issue.
Obstetrician Dr Brooke Vandermolen points out that judgmental terminology remains entrenched in medical textbooks despite efforts to modernize clinical communication. Even though the Royal College of Midwives produced guidance offering alternative phrases in 2022, certain traditional terms are still being used and still cause distress. Vandermolen noted that terms like failure to progress
—which describes labor not moving forward as expected—carry heavy connotations of personal shortcoming.
“Why do we need judgmental words like failure or incompetence?”
Dr Brooke Vandermolen, Obstetrician
Medical professionals emphasize that vocabulary choices directly shape patient experience. Language is incredibly important, and the words clinicians choose can show recognition and make people feel validated and seen. Recent discussions in the Netherlands regarding anatomical vocabulary spark parallel conversations about how medical professionals speak about women’s bodies.
Youth Safety and Urban Planning in the Netherlands
While clinicians debate the impact of medical terminology, local leaders in the Netherlands confront a parallel challenge regarding the physical safety of women and girls in public spaces. This dialogue forms part of Actie Aletta, a national initiative that originated following the murder of 17-year-old Lisa from Abcoude. Sessions organized throughout the country provide spaces where young people share their daily experiences and recommend policy changes directly to the cabinet.
During a local gathering in a small room at ROC Amstelland, municipal and national leaders listened to students share the realities of navigating public streets after dark. Among the attendees were Wethouder Araya Sumter, Minister Boekholt-O’Sullivan, and Danique de Jong representing the organization Wij Eisen de Nacht Op. Wethouder Sumter grew emotional while delivering her address on safety, pausing to catch her breath before stating a core objective for the municipality.
Wethouder Sumter expressed the goal of making the city safe for all residents, rather than just half of them.
Despite the importance of the topic, only about ten students attended the session. One participant, 16-year-old Greylin, who studies entrepreneurship and trade at ROC Amstelland, offered a direct appeal to the policymakers in the room.
Greylin asked the policymakers to listen to them and take them seriously, as they are the only ones who experience the situation every day.
Daily Precautions and the Role of Bystanders
The lived experiences shared by young participants highlight routine habits driven by safety concerns. Greylin explained that she does not walk home without worry, often calling her mother or a friend, or pretending to be on the phone when cycling at night. She frequently checks her surroundings and shares her real-time location with multiple people.
To examine community responsibility, sessions open with a prompt asking who in the room has witnessed a situation that felt unsafe or unacceptable. Approximately 80 percent of attendees raise their hands. Behavioral scientist Danique de Jong explained the psychological barrier that often prevents bystanders from intervening.
Danique de Jong described the internal hesitation bystanders feel, questioning whether they should intervene, what they should say, and what might happen as a result.
De Jong suggested that overcoming this hesitation does not require grand gestures. A simple check-in to see if someone is okay serves as a small initial step from which individuals can decide how to proceed further.
Municipal Investments and National Policymaking
Local and national authorities face increasing pressure to translate public discussions into tangible infrastructure improvements. Last year, the municipality announced an allocation of six million euros dedicated to improving safety for women. When questioned about the deployment of these funds, Wethouder Sumter detailed specific physical and structural interventions.
Authorities are modifying landscaping around high-risk areas, trimming bushes, and ensuring public lighting functions properly. Furthermore, the city aims to integrate women’s safety as a baseline norm in urban planning by designing more woman-friendly environments and organizing targeted community dialogues, such as men’s discussion groups.
Minister Boekholt-O’Sullivan aims to attend all 17 regional sessions nationwide, bringing community feedback directly to policymakers in Den Haag. The minister emphasized that authorities have not listened enough to young people, making these scheduled sessions essential for building an approach that functions effectively. Officials stress that continuous dialogue remains necessary to sustain progress across both public health communication and urban safety initiatives.