How is victim support regulated in the Netherlands?
Victims in the Netherlands can obtain free help, advice and information from a variety of organisations. Crime victims additionally have a number of rights. Even if they are not Dutch residents. Those in the Netherlands for business, study, a family visit or tourism purposes, are also entitled to support following a crime or accident.
Are you the victim of a crime or accident and do not speak Dutch? Then it may be difficult to find the right support. There are a number of organisations that provide support in the event that you are a victim of a robbery, (traffic) accident or (sexual) violence. Slachtofferwijzer provides an overview of the support that is available for victims of (sexual) violence, traffic accidents, theft and the relatives or loved ones of missing persons.
Support organisations in the Netherlands
You can find an overview of organisations that provide support for victims of (sexual) violence, accidents, theft and the relatives or loved ones of missing persons, on Slachtofferwijzer.nl. The site provides general information as well as an overview of victim support organisations. You can contact these organisations for practical, legal, financial and/or emotional assistance. You can also use the website to locate a safe house or shelter.
Examples of organisations that provide support following an accident or crime include:
- GP, pharmacy or hospital
Are you sick, injured or suffering from psychological complaints? Then contact your GP. If you (temporarily) reside in the Netherlands, the costs will be covered by the statutory basic medical insurance. Are you a tourist in the Netherlands and have fallen ill? Or are you in the Netherlands for business or study purposes and have fallen ill? You, too, can make use of a GP, hospital or pharmacy. You must pay for this yourself or arrange payment via your health or travel insurance policy.
- Sexual Assault Center
Are you a victim of sexual assault or rape? You can obtain immediate support from the Sexual Assault Center. They are available day and night. Visit the website or call 0800-0188. The website is available in Dutch and English. You can alternatively use the translate button in your browser, which instantly translates the page that you are currently browsing. Their assistance is provided free of charge.
- Victim Support Netherlands
Victim Support Netherlands assists the victims and surviving relatives or loved ones of criminal offences, traffic accidents or disasters. Support is also provided to witnesses and other affected parties. You can also contact Victim Support Netherlands if you require assistance in reporting a crime to the police. Visit the website or call 0900-0101 from within the Netherlands. If your telephone provider does not accept this number then you can call 116-006 instead. The website is available in Dutch or your chosen language via the Google Translate toolbar. Assistance is provided free of charge.
The Police (112)
Are you the victim of a robbery? Are you a victim of violence or abuse? Or are you a victim of theft or fraud, or another type of crime? The police are your first port of call. Call 112 in the event of an emergency.
Those who report a crime have various rights. An English-language brochure explaining how to report a crime and what the next steps are is available on the police website.
Rights for victims of a criminal offence
Victims of a criminal offence have a number of rights. You have the right to information, help and protection, for example. You have the right to report a crime and claim compensation. You are also entitled to free legal assistance and an interpreter. Visit the Government of the Netherlands website for an overview of all rights pertaining to victims of crime. The website is available in Dutch, English and Papiamento.
Victim Guide
Victim support for foreigners in the Netherlands
Are you the victim of a crime or accident and do not speak Dutch? Then it may be difficult to find the right support. There are a number of organisations that provide support in the event that you are a victim of a robbery, (traffic) accident or (sexual) violence. We help you find the appropriate support. We provide an overview of organisations that deliver support and can be contacted for immediate practical, legal, financial and emotional assistance.
Find the appropriate support
Are you a tourist in the Netherlands? Are you in the Netherlands on business? Are you in the Netherlands for study purposes? Or are you in the Netherlands for a family visit? And are you the victim of a theft, traffic accident or (sexual) violence? Then you need the appropriate support. Victims typically find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Excellent support is available in the Netherlands. For many victims, however, this can be difficult or impossible to find. If you are visiting the Netherlands and do not speak the language, then it can prove even more difficult.
Slachtofferwijzer provides an overview of the support that is available for victims of (sexual) violence, traffic accidents, theft and the relatives or loved ones of missing persons. The site provides general information as well as an overview of victim support organisations. You can contact these organisations for practical, legal, financial and/or emotional assistance. You can also use the website to locate a safe house or shelter.
Help with translation
The pages on SlachtofferWijzer are provided in Dutch. But via your browser's translation button, you can translate any text into the desired language. This works slightly differently for Chrome, Safari and Microsoft Edge.
In Chrome and Safari, this is how you translate a page:
- To the right of the address bar, click the 'Translate' icon
- Choose your language, if you haven't already preset it.
Is this not working? Then reload the page. Or, if you have Chrome, right-click the page and click 'Translate to [language]'.
Are you opening a page written in another language in Microsoft Edge? Then a menu will automatically open asking if you want to translate the page. But you can also do it yourself:
1.To the right of the address bar, click the 'Translate' icon
2.Choose your language, if you haven't already preset it.
3.Click on 'Translate'.
Access victim support directly
For whom is the Victim Guide site intended?
- I’m a student in the Netherlands
- I’m an au pair in the Netherlands
- I’m a working student in the Netherlands
- I’m an expat in the Netherlands and working here on a temporary basis
- I’m a tourist in the Netherlands and staying here on a temporary basis
- I’m passing through the Netherlands and only staying here for a short period of time
- I’m visiting family in the Netherlands
- I’m a refugee and currently residing in the Netherlands
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