Dozens of Dutch travelers report suspected child abuse abroad this year
Dutch watchdog Defence for Children has received 53 reports of suspected child abuse so far this year through the national “Don’t Look Away” hotline, with 28 involving incidents abroad. The organization expects the number to rise in the coming months, according to Hart van Nederland.
The hotline, which allows travelers to report suspicious situations involving potential child abuse overseas, is managed by Defence for Children in cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, police, travel agencies, and several NGOs. The service is designed to help authorities act on travelers' concerns before further harm can occur.
Last year, the hotline received a total of 66 reports, 38 of which related to incidents abroad. The remaining reports primarily concerned online abuse, though some involved situations during holidays within the Netherlands, said Mylène Tabernal, spokesperson for Defence for Children.
One recent case involved a report from Zanzibar, where a traveler saw an elderly tourist with a minor girl on a boat tour. “It turned out to be his girlfriend,” Tabernal told Hart van Nederland. “But the report still mattered. That’s exactly why we encourage people to trust their gut. In the worst case, nothing is wrong and the report is discarded—but in many other cases, a child might be in real danger.”
Tabernal emphasized that suspected perpetrators span a wide range of ages and profiles. “The people involved range in age from 20 to 76. The typical image of an older man as the sole offender doesn’t reflect the full reality,” she said. “That’s why travelers need to stay vigilant. Anyone could be a perpetrator.”
The organization urged holidaymakers to pay close attention to warning signs. “If a child is touched intimately at a swimming pool or beach, or if an older person isolates themselves with a child, or a child is sitting half-naked on a man’s lap—these are clear red flags,” Tabernal told Hart van Nederland.
According to Defence for Children, reports of suspected abuse come from all over the world, including Italy, the United States, and the Philippines. “The belief that child abuse only happens in certain parts of the world is simply untrue,” the organization stated.
Nationality is not always known when reports are submitted. But when the suspect is believed to be Dutch, police in the Netherlands investigate the report. While Dutch police have no investigative powers abroad, they do work with foreign authorities when necessary, Defence for Children said.
The organization stressed the urgency of the “Don’t Look Away” initiative, especially following a recent study by the Research and Documentation Center (WODC), which estimated that roughly 20,000 Dutch men commit acts of child abuse abroad each year.
“This is the first time we’ve had such a detailed offender profile for child abuse outside the Netherlands,” Tabernal told Hart van Nederland. “This research finally gives us numbers to show how serious and widespread the problem really is. That’s why it is now more important than ever to remain alert to the signs.”
