| De nonnen | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Documentary |
| Created by | Borgerhoff & Lamberigts |
| Country of origin | Belgium |
| Original language | Dutch |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Original release | |
| Network | VTM |
| Release | August 21, 2025 |
De Nonnen (Dutch for The Nuns) is a Belgian four-part documentary series about abuse and misconduct committed by Catholic nuns in Flanders. The series was produced by Borgerhoff & Lamberigts for VTM and premiered on Proximus Pickx+ on 21 August 2025, followed by terrestrial broadcast on VTM in autumn 2025. [1]
The series focuses on physical and sexual violence, forced separation of mothers and children, and abuse within orphanages, maternity homes, convents and schools run by religious sisters. Fourteen survivors share their testimonies, many for the first time. [2]
The first episode examines abuses in the orphanage Sint-Vincentius, including sexual, physical and psychological violence, disappearances and unregistered burials. A former staff member admitted to burying children in the local cemetery. [3]
Another episode focuses on the maternity home Tamar, run by the Sisters of Kindsheid Jesu, where unmarried mothers allegedly faced forced adoptions and sterilizations. The podcast Kinderen van de kerk has also investigated similar practices, describing how mothers were separated from their children under Church pressure and sometimes for financial gain.
Experts featured in the series include professor Ines Keygnaert, a specialist on sexual violence, and priest Rik Devillé, founder of Mensenrechten in de Kerk. [2]
De Nonnen premiered on Proximus Pickx+ on 21 August 2025 and was later broadcast weekly on VTM. [1]