Nearly a fifth of young people in the Netherlands are victims of domestic violence

Last year, over 350,000 young people aged 16 to 25 in the Netherlands were victims of domestic violence. That is 18 percent of this age group. They faced abuse like physical violence, coercive control by a family member, or stalking by an ex, among other things. Most victims talked to someone about the violence, but few reached out to the authorities for help, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Monday.

Underage young people (25 percent) and young women (22 percent) were more likely to be abused by a partner or family member than young adults (15 percent) and young men (14 percent). Underage girls faced domestic violence the most (29 percent).

About 10 percent of young people in the Netherlands were victims of physical violence in the home last year. Most victims (45 percent) were hit. An equally large group had their arms twisted, hair pulled, or got shoved. Four percent faced attempted suffocation or strangulation, 1 percent had a family member burn them, and 1 percent were wounded with a weapon.

Of the young people who experienced physical domestic violence, 13 percent reported it happening on a structural basis - at least once a month. Over a quarter said the abuse caused psychological problems for them.

Ten percent reported experiencing domestic violence in the form of coercive control. Family members repeatedly dominated or controlled them, for example, through belittling, intimidation, or constantly keeping track of their movements. Five percent of young people reported that an ex stalked them last year.

This type of violence is, by definition, repetitive and structural. More than 40 percent said they suffered psychological problems as a result of coercive control.

Many young people reported also experiencing domestic violence as children. About 40 percent of young victims of physical domestic violence reported also being abused before the age of 12. The same was true for about 30 percent of young victims of coercive control.

In both physical violence and coercive control in the home, the perpetrator was often a family member. Physical violence perpetrators were mainly siblings, while coercive control mostly involved parents.

About two-thirds of young domestic violence victims talked about what was happening to them with someone, especially another family member or a friend. Fourteen percent of physical violence victims and 21 percent of coercive control victims discussed it with care providers like a GP or psychologist. Only around 1 percent of young victims found their way to the police or Veilig Thuis, the center that helps people facing domestic violence.