In conversation with one “listening ear” to handle claims and benefits affair? Victim Melissa is ahead of: 'Someone finally stood up for me'
In conversation with one “listening ear” to handle claims and benefits affair? Victim Melissa is ahead of: 'Someone finally stood up for me'
- 13-03-2025 07:00
- Outback
- Author: Henriette van Rijsingen
Melissa is one of the thousands of allowance parents identified as fraudsters by the tax authorities. She didn't feel heard until she spoke to a “listening writer”. “That changed everything for me.”
At the beginning of this year, an external emergency advisory committee led by Chris van Dam found that the recovery operation for the benefits affair is going far too slow. One of the committee's most important advice to the cabinet: affected parents should be compensated more quickly and generously.
Equal Recovery Foundation Method
According to the committee, the method of the Equal Recovery Foundation, also known as the Laurentien method, would be most suitable for dealing with claims that have not yet been processed.
Tomorrow, the cabinet will respond to this advice. Melissa Renken is a benefit parent and has used the Foundation's method. She hopes that it will become leading.
Powerless against the tax authorities
Melissa became a mother when she was 19. “I was the happiest woman in the world. My wish to have children came true.” She was still studying and brought her baby to daycare. But when she moved, she was suddenly labeled a fraud. “The tax authorities called the wrong shelter, but this administrative error was not so easy to rectify.”
Melissa felt powerless in front of the service. “All I knew was that I had to pay a lot of money back. I had to come up with all kinds of evidence.” She panicked and wanted to pay off her debts as quickly as possible. “That's why I started doing business. But I was far too young, too inexperienced and had too little knowledge of people. I ended up working with the wrong people.” This went wrong and eventually her guilt grew larger and greater.
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'I didn't want to live anymore'
Melissa's partner also left her. “I panicked. The stress, the ignorance, all in all, ultimately also led to physical complaints.” Melissa became ill and ended up in a wheelchair. Polyneuropathy, a nervous system disorder, was diagnosed. Melissa makes the link to her situation. “Years of taking bad care of myself - stress, poor diet and vitamin deficiency - has led to nerve damage.”
In the end, it all became too much for her. “There was a time when I didn't want to live anymore. And I also tried to do that. I'm glad I can still tell that now.”
Extent clear
Melissa's story is not an independent one. Many allowance parents are being duped. Some of the victims had their lives disrupted, among other things, due to loss of jobs or homes and/or psychological problems. Children were also removed from home by youth services.
In the House of Representatives, Pieter Omtzigt, Renske Leijten and Farid Azarkan stood up for them. The extent of the seriousness became increasingly clear. There was a parliamentary committee of inquiry led by Chris van Dam, and ultimately, the benefits affair will lead to the resignation of the Rutte 3 cabinet in January 2021.
https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/embed/549490/
In conversation with one “listening ear” to handle claims and benefits affair? Duped Melissa is for
Crashing recovery surgery
Recovery surgery was underway to compensate the parents, but at the beginning of this year it was determined that the operation had stalled: compensation is too slow. And now, the Van Dam Committee recommends giving way to the Equal Recovery Foundation's method, which Melissa also used.
In the method, a volunteer listens to the parents' story and then writes down their story. For Melissa, this was a very nice way to tell her story. “In peace and quiet, someone suddenly sits opposite me, overwhelming me with so much warmth and attention. That moment changed everything for me.”
Compensate generously
The story that the listening writer writes down goes to the Foundation's personal injury advisors. They look at the damage and subsequent damage.
“The idea behind it is generous compensation, no further legal actions, finally a line under it. Then it all goes to the Ministry of Finance for financial compensation,” Melissa explains. Her most important advice to politicians: “Words are so important, politicians must dare to be vulnerable. Let them take responsibility and pay debt. And more importantly: give a sincere apology, that's missing now.”
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'Not only solvable with money'
Lilian Marijnissen has been on the Supervisory Board of the Equal Recovery Foundation since last month. She believes that the Secretary of State will adopt the committee's advice. “It's really time to fix this. Promise less, do more.”
She herself is involved with the Foundation because she believes it is important that the method not only focuses on financial recovery but also the emotional side of the story. “Everyone understands that it can't be solved with money alone. That is why it is so important that the Fact Story, the story drawn up by the narrator and the listening writer, is focused. This ensures that we look at the whole story, from where people come from to where they are today. “
Solved within 2 years
According to Marijnissen, if the Secretary of State takes over the advice and maintains the method, things will go quickly. “The method was developed precisely from upscaling and acceleration. If the ministry - as the Emergency Committee says - takes a step back and does not lose itself too much in the drive for control, then as a society, we can solve this in 2 to 2.5 years.”
Is it feasible to compensate all affected parents during that time? According to Marijnissen, yes. “Remember: we don't just do this as a Foundation, we have great partners who support us with manpower, brainpower and experience.”
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'Laurentien crucial'
It is remarkable that this method is recommended by the Van Dam Commission because there was a lot of criticism of its founder, Princess Laurentien. WhatsApp messages would show that she was able to rant rather strongly against department officials.
Melissa sees that completely differently; she believes that Laurentien has been crucial for the steps that are now being taken. “I just look at that woman with pride. I think it's unfair that someone who does so hard for the victims should be punished like that.”
'Finally directing again'
Melissa now has a new partner, her file has now been satisfactorily dealt with financially and she can work on a future again. For example, she has developed an educational method to help children who have developed a regulatory disorder due to stress, such as her son.
“I'm finally back in control of my life. That's what I've learned from all of this: enjoy life. And that is now possible. But if everything is taken from you, if you spend every second trying to survive, you are completely out of control.”
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