What does CONTROL look like when someone disguises it as love? It looks like 250 tattoos. On her face. Her neck. Near her EYES. A Dutch man named Hans used a cheap machine he bought off AliExpress — And over SEVERAL YEARS, he branded his girlfriend like she was his PROPERTY. His name. His initials. 250 times. Covering nearly 90% of her body. She reported him to Dutch police. And he was NEVER ARRESTED. Because he said — she CONSENTED. This is MORNINGS IN THE LAB. I'm Keith, he's Jon. Show 3027. Thursday, April 16th, 2026. Let's GET INTO IT.
Here's why we're talking about this today. Because this story sits at the intersection of ABUSE, TECHNOLOGY, and a SYSTEM THAT FAILED. That tattoo machine? Ordered off AliExpress. Cheap. Accessible. Anyone can get one. The victim's name is Joke. A Dutch woman. Her ex — Hans — didn't do this in one night. He did it over SEVERAL YEARS. And while he was marking her, he kept her NUMB. Alcohol. Drugs. Leaving her completely defenseless. When the relationship ended? He stalked her. Threatened her. Intimidated her. She found the courage to go to the police. And the police said — sorry, he claims consent. Our hands are tied. Andy Han — from the tattoo removal organization Spi van Tattoo — said it best: "Any reasonable person understands that no one would willingly get tattoos near their eyes, on their nose, or on their ears." NEAR HER EYES. ON HER NOSE. ON HER EARS. That is not consent. That is COERCION dressed up in legal language. And Joke is not alone. She is one among SEVERAL WOMEN marked by abusers. This is a pattern. And the system keeps letting it happen.
FIVE conversation starters. Lock these in. ONE — If consent is obtained under coercion or substance abuse — is it LEGALLY consent? Should it be? TWO — Cheap tattoo machines are everywhere online. Should there be regulation on who can purchase them? THREE — When law enforcement says "he claimed consent" and closes the case — what does that say about how we protect victims? FOUR — Over $35,000 was raised by STRANGERS for Joke's removal. What does that say about community when institutions fail? FIVE — Joke said, "Someone who has been deeply hurt can rise again." How do we build systems that make that possible for MORE people?
Let's go deeper. Hans placed tattoos specifically on areas he believed had been "touched by other men." Her breasts. Her buttocks. Her face. Her neck. This wasn't marking — this was OWNERSHIP. The alcohol and drugs weren't accidental. They were a STRATEGY. Keep her numb. Keep her dependent. Keep her unable to resist. He didn't go to a tattoo studio because NO professional would have allowed this. So he ordered a machine off AliExpress to bypass the system entirely. This was calculated. This was premeditated. Now the good news — because there IS good news. A fundraiser raised over $35,000 for her removal treatments. Recent photos show her face nearly tattoo-free. She is expected to be completely free by end of 2026. Any remaining funds go to OTHER domestic violence victims. Community responded where the legal system failed. That is ACCOUNTABILITY IN ACTION.
Here's what we take from this. Coercive control doesn't always look like a black eye. It looks like isolation. Dependency. Gradual erosion of someone's identity. If someone's partner controls what goes on their body — that is ABUSE. Full stop. When the system fails, COMMUNITY fills the gap. $35,000 raised by people who saw someone in pain and decided to DO SOMETHING. You can be that person for someone in your life. Joke spoke up. Despite the fear. Despite police doing nothing. She kept going. And today, her face is nearly clear. Speaking up MATTERS — even when the system doesn't immediately respond.
We talk a LOT on this show about building yourself up. Fitness. Discipline. Accountability. Healthy lifestyle. But part of that healthy lifestyle is recognizing when something isn't right. For yourself. And for the people around you. Ask yourself — do you know someone who seems different since they got with their partner? Quieter. More isolated. Less like themselves? That might not be "just the relationship." That might be a WARNING SIGN. The strongest thing you can do is PAY ATTENTION. And then take action.
We want to hear from YOU — the LAB COMMUNITY. Drop your thoughts in the comments right now: Should the Dutch legal system have arrested Hans? Why or why not? If you want to support victims like Joke — look up tattoo removal organizations in your area that work with domestic violence survivors. Hit the like button if this story made you ANGRY — because it SHOULD. Subscribe if you're watching for the first time. We cover the stories that matter, every single morning. This is what BAPL is about. Real people. Real stakes. Real talk.
Joke said it herself: "Someone who has been deeply hurt can rise again." She didn't wait for Hans to be arrested. She didn't wait for the system to validate her pain. She moved forward anyway. 250 tattoos. 90% of her body. And she is STILL HERE. Still smiling. Still rising. That is the definition of strength. We honor that this morning. Start your day right, gentlemen. This is MORNINGS IN THE LAB.
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