More men murdered in 2008

Last year, 176 persons died as a result of murder or manslaughter, 12 more than in 2007. The increase entirely consists of men. The number of women killed as a result of murder or manslaughter has declined over the past three years.

Victims of murder and manslaughter by gender

Most victims were men

On average, 3.4 people died each week as a result of murder and manslaughter in 2008, a decline by a quarter compared to the beginning of the current decade. Seven in ten victims were men and two thirds were aged between 20 and 50.

Victims of murder and manslaughter by age and gender, 2008

Victims often divorced

Divorced men and women run a greater risk of dying as a result of violence. The victim rate among divorced people was more than five times as high as among married or widowed persons and twice as high as among unmarried people.

Most women killed in their own homes

Eight in every ten murdered women were killed in their own homes. Four in ten were killed by their (ex-)partners. Men were more often killed in a row or retaliatory action. Four in ten male victims were killed in the streets.

Men shot more than twice as often as women

Over one third of male victims were killed by firearms, as against 16 percent of women. Three in ten male and female victims were stabbed to death. Proportionally, women were much more often strangled or choked to death.

Most murders committed in Rotterdam

Rotterdam tops the list with respect to murders committed in the four major Dutch cities. The death toll was 18, as against 17 in Amsterdam, 9 in The Hague and 5 in Utrecht.

With 3.1 per 100 thousand, the murder ratio was also highest in Rotterdam. The Rotterdam ratio is three times as high as the national average, followed by Amsterdam with twice the national ratio.

Victims of murder and manslaughter per 100 thousand residents, 2008

Murder rate below EU average

In the period 2003–2007, the annual average murder ratio for the European Union was 1.5 per 100 thousand residents. With 1.2 murders per 100 thousand residents, the Dutch ratio was obviously lower.

Kim de Bruin and Jan Hoogenboezem