Dutch Youth Exploited in Prostitution Abroad, Study Reveals
A new study by the Centrum Kinderhandel en Mensenhandel (CKM), part of the expertise and treatment center Fier, indicates that over one hundred Dutch girls and young women have likely been exploited in prostitution in Belgium and Germany in recent years. This group of victims remains largely invisible, with official registrations showing only nine victims in these countries between 2021 and 2023, highlighting a significant lack of oversight. The CKM estimates at least 125 Dutch victims were exploited across the border during this period, with the majority in Belgium.
The research, the first of its kind focusing on Dutch victims of cross-border exploitation, surveyed over 200 professionals in law enforcement and social services. Signals emerged from dozens of professionals who reported instances of Dutch victims being forced to work in Belgium or Germany. The investigation was prompted by observations at a youth institution near the border, where girls were picked up by men in cars with German license plates, leading to suspicions of sexual exploitation across the border. Online advertisements and anonymous reports to Fier also pointed to this issue.
Victims are often young women, some still minors, who may already be exploited in the Netherlands. They are forced to serve clients in various locations abroad, including hotels, residences, sex clubs, and holiday parks, often in towns close to the border or in major cities like Antwerp and Duisburg. The phenomenon also occurs in reverse, with German and Belgian youth exploited in the Netherlands. Some victims are reportedly moved between different countries and locations, and there are suspicions that some are also involved in criminal activities like drug smuggling. The CKM emphasizes a lack of collaboration between Dutch and foreign organizations, urging for a joint approach involving police and aid agencies to better support victims regardless of nationality.
This research highlights a critical gap in cross-border victim protection, suggesting that current inter-agency and international cooperation frameworks are insufficient to identify and support vulnerable youth exploited in prostitution. The disparity between estimated victim numbers and official registrations underscores systemic challenges in data collection and reporting across national jurisdictions. Future strategies should focus on harmonizing legal and social service protocols to ensure that victim identification and assistance are not hindered by national borders, promoting a unified response to human trafficking that prioritizes victim welfare and perpetrator accountability. The findings also point to the need for enhanced intelligence sharing and joint operational capabilities between law enforcement and social services in border regions to proactively disrupt exploitation networks.
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