Alone Against the State

In 2018 Dutch officials discovered that for years, the Tax and Customs Administration in the Netherlands had been wrongfully accusing thousands of people of fraud. The administration ordered these parents to repay childcare allowances, which caused them to build up huge debts. People who objected were deliberately opposed. But even though the scandal was uncovered, the process of recovery is still very difficult and slow.Derya, Janet, Nazmiye, Badriah and Naoual, all victims of the scandal, candidly tell how the manhunt by the tax authorities completely changed their lives. In a sober setting they share their painful experiences: suddenly being separated from your child, having to deal with visiting bailiffs and struggling with shame and powerlessness. Government agencies, from which you would expect help but who humiliate you instead. In Alone Against the State the human drama behind the affair becomes more tangible than ever and shows that it’s very hard to heal deep wounds.