Reports of online sex abuse increased 46% last year; More minors linked to serious crime

The total number of registered crimes in 2025 remained roughly the same as the year before. But we mustn’t “be lulled into complacency by general figures,” National Police Chief Janny Knol warned. The number of online sex abuse reports increased by a massive 46 percent. The police are also seeing a slight increase in child suspects, and they’re increasingly suspected of serious crimes.

The increase in online sex abuse is particularly concerning to the police chief. “Our society lacks measures to prevent it from happening. There’s hardly any monitoring and correction online,” Knol said. “Just this weekend, we reported that at least five Dutch girls were induced to commit suicide, under pressure from sadistic chat groups.”

According to the police, online platforms must do more to prevent abuse. “It is also crucial that parents become aware of the risks and discuss what they experience online with their children,” Knol said.

The police are also concerned about young people falling into a life of crime. Within the total group of suspects, the proportion of children grew by 5 percent last year. Within this group, 12 percent more cases were referred to the Public Prosecution Service (OM) for prosecution. According to the police, this shows that juvenile crime is increasing slightly and has also become more serious.

The number of child suspects in muggings is increasing rapidly. Last year, 1,457 minors were suspected of robbing people on the street, over 13 percent more than in 2024 and 24 percent more than in 2023. “We noticed that young people used to gradually develop a career in crime, while they now move more quickly to serious crimes like muggings and robberies. They also switch very easily between different forms of online and offline crimes.”

According to Knol, the impact of crime is also growing, while it becomes less evident in police statistics. “The shame associated with online fraud or scams, for example, is high, and the chance of being caught is relatively low. A single perpetrator can easily make hundreds - or even many more - victims worldwide.”

“The police system is still primarily focused on combating traditional, local crime. Moreover, the way the police are funded leaves little room for investment in technology, even if it yields more in combating crime and helping victims,” Knol said. “The changing security landscape calls for new solutions."

The police also reported that the number of incidents involving people with disturbed behavior increased to another record in 2025. The police registered 168,960 such incidents, an increase of 12 percent compared to 2024. "In practice, the police are overloaded with problems that cannot be solved by the police and criminal justice system,” Knol said.

In total, the police registered 800,974 crimes last year, an increase of 0.6 percent compared to 2024. The police will publish a full breakdown of 2025’s figures on Thursday.