1 in 10 LGBTQIA people are victims of violence

© CBS / Nikki van Toorn
In 2023, 10 percent of LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bi-plus, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual) people were victims of violence, compared to 6 percent among the rest of the Dutch population. LGBTQIA people were also more likely to be victims of other types of crime. Those with non-binary gender identities (people who do not identify exclusively or unambiguously as male or female) were the most likely to be victims. This is according to research conducted by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
Figures taken from the 2023 Safety Monitor (only available in Dutch) show that 25 percent of LGBTQIA people aged 15 or older were victims of traditional crime (violence, offences against property, or vandalism) in the previous 12 months. This share is higher than among non-LGBTQIA individuals (19 percent). The largest difference is seen in cases of violent crime, including sexual offences. LGBTQIA people were twice as likely to be victims of sexual violence than non-LHBTQIA individuals, and they were more likely to be victims of offences against property, and vandalism.


People with non-binary identities more likely to be victims

Of all LGBTQIA people, those with non-binary/genderqueer identities were the most likely to be victims of traditional crime; 24 percent of them were victims of one or more violent crimes in 2023. Bi-plus women (women attracted to more than one gender) and gay men were also relatively likely to be victims of violence, at 13 and 10 percent, respectively.

Impact of victimisation higher among LGBTQIA people

The number of people who became victims of traditional crime was higher among LGBTQIA people than among non-LGBTQIA individuals. A total of 32 percent of LGBTQIA victims experienced emotional, financial or physical consequences, compared to 25 percent of non-LGBTQIA victims. The largest difference was seen in the emotional impact: 26 percent of LGBTQIA victims report suffering an emotional impact, compared to 20 percent of non-LGBTQIA victims.

Perceived safety is lower among LGBTQIA people

Among LGBTQIA people aged 15 years or older, 42 percent said they had sometimes felt unsafe, and 18 percent occasionally experienced this in their own neighbourhood. These percentages were also higher than among the rest of the population, at 34 and 14 percent, respectively. LGBTQIA people were also more likely to be afraid of becoming a victim of crime and rate their likelihood of being assaulted, for example, as higher than non-LHBTQIA individuals.

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