Quarter of young people have experienced traumatic crime, accident; Few seek help

A quarter of young people between the ages of 16 and 24 have experienced a traumatic event, such as dating violence, sexual assault, online fraud, or traffic accidents, Victim Support Netherlands reported. This type of trauma tends to affect young people more than older age groups, yet few seek help afterward, a study commissioned by the support organization among 1,100 young people found.

About 450,000 young people in the Netherlands have experienced a traumatic event. Traffic accidents, violence, fraud, and scams are the most common. “After experiencing trauma, young people experience feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and panic attacks more often than older people,” Victim Support said.

Yet about 70 percent never report a traumatic event to the police or a support agency. Young people often don’t come forward because they “think it won’t help” or because they feel “guilt or shame.” A large group said that they do not want to be “seen as a victim.”

The young people who do seek help want help dealing with the emotional consequences of their experiences. They also said they’d like help reporting crimes, support in criminal proceedings, and compensation.

Victim Support Netherlands launched a campaign to reach young people better. “We want to lower the threshold for seeking help,” project leader Bo Speich said. “Young people really require a different approach and other forms of support, so we have adapted our offer accordingly.”

The support organization launched a platform aimed at young people that provides information and personal experiences. Influencers share their experiences on social media, showing a special symbol when doing so. Several, including Iris Amber, King Faisel, and Arbee, got the symbol tattooed on them.