Publication

Sexual homicide in the Netherlands: a provisional overview

Sexual homicide is a rare phenomenon. Yet, sexual killing is widely reported on in the media. Even though academic research on sexual homicide is conducted abroad, in the Netherlands such research is virtually absent.

Author: Dr. Marieke Liem
Date: 29 August 2016
Links: 'Seksuele doding in Nederland: een voorlopig overzicht' - Dutch only

Building on previous research, dr. Marieke Liem from the Institute of Security and Global Affairs of Leiden University and Emma Spangenberg, examined sexual homicides that occurred between 1992 and 2014. To come to this overview, they used two sources: a) for the period from 1992 to 2006 the data is based on charts of the Dutch Homicide Monitor; b) for the period from 2007 to 2014 the data is based on newspaper accounts and Elsevier magazine’s annual compilations of homicides. The data are supplemented by specific facts from Rechtspraak.nl and other public sources.

The authors conclude that in total 143 people (mostly women) were victims of sexual homicide. The perpetrators were most typically men, between 20 and 30 years old. Motives centered around anger, excitement and sexual gratification. Sexual homicides oftentimes remain unsolved, partially due to a lack of a uniform registration system.