Fewer child abductions for first time in four years

The number of child abductions from or to the Netherlands fell last year for the first time in four years, by 11 percent. The International Child Abduction Center (Centrum IKO) reported this on Tuesday in its annual report for 2023. The number of child abductions fell from 292 in 2022 to 260 last year.

“A positive development, as every kidnapping is a major event for the child and those around them,” said director Coşkun Çörüz of Centrom IKO. According to the center, the decrease is partly due to the increased focus on prevention for parents and training for professionals.

In 77 percent of the cases, the mother is the kidnapper, and in 22 percent of cases, it was the father. In one case, another family member took the child across the border.

Most children abducted and taken abroad ended up in Germany, Turkey, and Belgium. Most of the children abducted to the Netherlands were taken from Belgium, France, and Turkey. Nearly half of the abducted children were five years old or younger.

For the fourth year in a row, more and more parents and professionals found their way to Centrum IKO with questions or prevention advice. The center was also busier with mediation in international family cases. If parents make good agreements, child abduction can be prevented. Mediation, therefore, has an important preventive function, Centrum IKO said.