I’m not my crime

I know 300 forms of guilt
If I divide myself into several pieces
I don’t have to feel that shame constantly

TBS-ers are often depicted in the media as monsters, freaked out with unacceptable behavior. And that’s quite understandable because if we realize that it’s about real people, that’s something frightning. We prefer to stay away from the dark side of life. These people must be very different from us. And yet, no one is dreaming of being in prison or TBS later.

Titia Bouwmeester made the art installation in collaboration with patients from the Van der Hoeven Kliniek. In the art installation you can meet three people with TBS. They are frank about how it has happened and what they think is needed to lead a ‘normal’ life again.

I have drawn up rules for myself.
If I get a big mouth, I’ll hit it.
If I don’t, I hate myself.

The Van der Hoeven Kliniek treat people on whom a court has imposed detention under a hospital order. A court will only impose a hospital order with compulsory psychiatric treatment on people who have been declared partially or fully unaccountable for their actions. Research has often demonstrated that these people have psychiatric problems.