Dutch organization demands equal treatment for victims of online and physical abuse
Victims of online sexual abuse can suffer consequences comparable to those of physical sexual assault, yet they are not entitled to the same legal protections. A Dutch victim-support organization is calling for reform, arguing that those subjected to digital abuse should have equal access to legal assistance and financial compensation, AD reports.
The Fonds Slachtofferhulp has launched a petition advocating for the rights of victims of online sexual abuse. The campaign primarily concerns young people.
“We are astonished that victims of online abuse are still not entitled to free legal representation by a victim’s lawyer or compensation from the Fonds Slachtofferhulp when a perpetrator is convicted,” says Ineke Sybesma, director of the organization. “The impact of online abuse is equally enormous.”
The issue was recently brought forward to attention by 15 female politicians, who themselves became victims of sexually explicit videos of them made using AI. “It feels like digital rape, and it is horrifying,” Caroline van der Plas (BBB).
Online sexual abuse takes several forms, including the non-consensual distribution of intimate images and sexual backmail, commonly referred to as sextortion. Perpetrators may threaten to expose a person’s nudes unless victims, for example, produce more sexual content or perform sexual acts. There are more variations of this, including victims disclosing their intimate images, which are circulating online without their permission.
Research conducted by the Fonds Slachtofferhulp found that approximately one in four cases of digital sexual abuse also involves physical sexual assault or rape. In some instances, online contract procedures physical abuse; in others, digital exploitation follows an initial physical encounter.
Additionally, previous findings indicate that approximately half of all young people aged 12 to 25 have experienced digitally mediated sexual misconduct. This represents an estimated 700,000 to 800,000 young people in the Netherlands every year.