Rotterdam doubles undercover force to crack down on sexual harassment in public
The city of Rotterdam is extending and intensifying its crackdown on sexual street harassment by adding ten more municipal enforcement officers and continuing its undercover pilot program for another year, Rijnmond reported. The expansion comes as the city prepares to build on the limited but symbolic results of the first twelve months of enforcement under the new national law on sexual offenses, which made street harassment a criminal offense as of July 1, 2024.
Since the start of the trial in July 2023, 13 specially trained buitengewoon opsporingsambtenaren (municipal enforcement officers or boa’s) have been working undercover in areas where the risk of harassment is high. That number will increase to 23, according to alderman Pascal Lansink-Bastemeijer (VVD), who oversees mobility and enforcement. He informed the Rotterdam city council of the decision to continue and expand the pilot.
“The ultimate goal of tackling sexual street intimidation is a shift in norms and behavior,” Lansink-Bastemeijer stated. “This takes time and therefore requires perseverance.”
The officers operate in plain clothes and must catch perpetrators in the act in order to press charges. Without direct observation, most cases come down to the harasser’s word against that of the victim. Despite high hopes at the launch of the pilot, only one case has led to a court conviction so far.
That incident involved a 33-year-old man from Vlaardingen who sexually harassed a woman on Schouwburgplein. Four undercover officers witnessed the incident, and the man was fined 100 euros. At the beginning of the trial, Rotterdam had hoped to bring five cases before a judge within the year.
The pilot’s continuation and expansion are part of Rotterdam’s 2025 Action Plan for Tackling Sexual Street Harassment. In addition to increasing the number of enforcement officers, the city is rolling out a broader awareness campaign aimed at shifting public attitudes and educating residents about transgressive behavior.
Part of that campaign includes school-based initiatives. An interactive theater performance has been developed for high school and vocational students. A national educational package is available for elementary schools, and new training programs have been created for students in colleges and universities.
Rotterdam has also been using a mobile app called StopApp, which allows victims to report incidents and request support. The reports help the municipality map when and where harassment occurs, providing critical data for enforcement. But the app reportedly remains relatively unknown.
In 2024, it was downloaded just over 1,400 times and received 635 reports. A revamped version of the app was recently released, and an English-language version will be launched later this year.
Sexual street harassment remains a deeply rooted issue in Rotterdam. Multiple studies show that a large majority of young women and girls experience harassment in public spaces and online. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are also often targeted.
