Third of sexual exploitation perpetrators commit crime again within 2 years

Over a third of the perpetrators of domestic sexual exploitation commit another offense within two years. That often also involves a serious crime, the National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence against Children concluded in the Perpetrator Monitor on Human Trafficking 2017-2021.

This is the first investigation into repeat offenders in this form of human trafficking. Domestic sexual exploitation involves perpetrators seeking their victims in the same country where they exploit them. This study mainly concerns Dutch perpetrators and victims.

Over a third (36 percent) of offenders re-offend within two years, 58 percent within five years, and 65 percent within seven years. This is considerably higher than the recidivism rate among adult offenders of other crimes, with 26 percent re-offending within two years.

According to the National Rapporteur’s research, the recidivism of sexual exploitation perpetrators often involves serious crime. Within five years, 28 percent commit a property crime, 25 percent a violent crime, 12 percent a drug crime, and one in ten commit human trafficking again.

The perpetrators of this form of exploitation also appear to be relatively young. A third is younger than 23 years, as is 42 percent of the repeat offenders. National Rapporteur Conny Rijken called that worrying. “A specific rehabilitation program for this offender group must be developed and applied consistently, she said. Such a program does not currently exist.

In addition to sexual exploitation, the National Rapporteur also investigated labor exploitation. She called it worrying that, on average, only 8 out of 100 reports to the Labor Inspectorate lead to a criminal investigation.

The National Rapporteur called the increase in the number of human trafficking cases handled by the Public Prosecution Service a positive development.