More sex crimes reported to the police in 2022

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In 2022, more sexual offences were reported to the police than in 2021. The police registered nearly 10 thousand sexual offences last year, up from 8.8 thousand in the previous year. In particular, more cases of sexual assault and rape were registered. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of new data obtained from the national police force.

Registered sexual offences
JaartalSexual offences (x 1,000)
20138.6
20148.2
20157.7
20168.2
20178.4
20189.1
20198.3
20208.1
2021*8.8
2022*9.9
* Provisional figures

Ten years ago, the police registered a total of 8.6 thousand sexual offences. The number fell to 7.7 thousand in 2015, but subsequently rose again to 9.1 thousand in 2018. Following a two-year decline, the number of reported sex crimes has increased again since 2021, to just under 10 thousand. The increase can mainly be attributed to a rising number of registered rape and assault cases, which hit a record level in 2022. This was possibly due to the growing social awareness of sexual offences.

Sharp increase in rape and assault case registrations

In 2022, 2.9 thousand rape cases and 3 thousand assault cases were reported to the police. Of the rape cases reported in 2022, 22 percent were committed in earlier years. This share is slightly higher than in previous years. As for other types of sexual offence, such as indecent exposure and minor abuse, the numbers remained more or less constant at a total of approximately 4 thousand reported cases.

Registered sexual offences by category
JaartalSexual assaultRapeIndecent exposureSexual misconduct with minorsPornographySexual coercion
20102495164520151055575575
2011219015701940850570560
20122075145018751085635580
20131950124517001025785615
20141820122015901045690565
2015172012651445875660565
2016222015351380860445530
2017221017601275875425550
2018238519401300930390685
20192250205510701015540705
2020195520651235910410770
2021*226524001095965450830
2022*2955288510151010460775
* Provisional figures

1 in 10 victims reporting sexual offences

The growing number of reported sexual offences does not straightforwardly imply that the number of victims has gone up. The Netherlands’ Safety Monitor of CBS (Dutch only) shows that in most cases, victims of sex crimes and minor sexual offences do not come forward to report their experience to the police. They are generally less inclined to report their case than victims of other categories of offence. In 2021, sexual offences were reported to the police by 11.5 percent of the victims. For all offences combined this share was 37.5 percent.

Total number of reported crimes also up in 2022, especially theft

In 2022, altogether 806 thousand crimes were registered. This is 6 percent more than in 2021, but 2 percent less than in pre-pandemic 2019. The police registered more theft cases in particular last year. On the other hand, there was less reporting of cybercrime; in previous years, this had actually increased. For example, 61 percent fewer WhatsApp scams were registered and 17 percent fewer cases of online fraud (e.g. via the online marketplace Marktplaats).

Sources