The Center for Sexual Violence (Centrum Seksueel Geweld, CSG) has reported an unprecedented rise in the number of individuals seeking assistance following incidents of rape or sexual assault.

In the second half of 2024, a total of 2,344 individuals reached out for help across the sixteen centers established nationwide, marking a 54% increase compared to the 1,519 requests made in the first half of the previous year, according to the annual report released on Thursday.

Clinical psychologist Iva Bicanic, the director of the National Center for Sexual Violence and head of the National Psychotrauma Center at the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital in Utrecht, noted, "We have never seen such a rapid increase in reports."

The CSG does not provide a detailed breakdown of the types of sexual violence experienced by victims, but Bicanic believes that the rise is largely due to the enactment of the new Sexual Offenses Act on July 1, 2023, following extensive public discourse on sexual abuse in society.

The law criminalizes various forms of sexual misconduct, including sexual contact without full mutual consent and sexual harassment, both offline and online.

Notably, 30% of the aid requests in 2024 came from minors.

Law enforcement agencies have also observed an increase in sexual offenses reported.

From July to December 2024, reports of sexual crimes surged by 16% compared to the same period in previous years, with a total of 3,567 cases reported in 2024, up from 3,151 in 2023. The Public Prosecutor’s Office indicated in its recent annual report that the rise in reports is expected to affect the influx of suspects once police investigations are concluded.

Bicanic anticipates that the upward trend in victims seeking help will continue, warning that this surge may compromise the quality of care provided.

She stated, "If we want to adequately support this increase and maintain the same quality of services for more individuals seeking assistance due to political and societal developments, additional funding is necessary, preferably at the national level."

Since 2018, the sixteen Centers for Sexual Violence, which are available 24/7 via a dedicated help line, have become fully operational across the country.

Currently, approximately 160 case managers, including psychologists, nurses, and social workers, are employed at these centers.

A notable aspect of their approach is the collaboration between police and medical assistance, facilitated by dedicated case managers for victims.

Bicanic highlighted the severe psychological impacts of sexual abuse, including depression, addiction, eating disorders, sleep disturbances, medical issues, personality problems, and a risk of recurrence.

"Timely and effective support can prevent these consequences," she remarked.

A recent psychosocial autopsy analysis of suicides indicates that over 40% of women who take their own lives have been victims of sexual abuse.

The current public conversation surrounding sexual abuse has notably affected interest in and inquiries to the Centers for Sexual Violence, which saw its website visited 331,290 times in 2024, representing a 13% increase compared to 2023. A significant spike in traffic occurred in November, following former State Secretary for Justice and Security Ingrid Coenradie's candid revelation in parliament that she herself was a victim of sexual abuse at the age of thirteen.

Daily website visits typically range between one thousand and two thousand, but surged to thirty thousand within two days after her statement.