Dutch crime survey includes cybercrime for first time

An annual report published by Statistics Netherlands and the Ministry of Security and Justice has included statistics on cybercrime for the first time, revealing that one in eight people have been affected by it in 2012.

Also known as computer crime, cybercrime includes things such as hacking, online bullying or fraud connected with online selling. Overall, 12 percent of people 15 years and up were affected by this, with over half having had their computer, smart phone, e-mail account or website hacked.

This type of crime is more commonly encountered by younger people who are relatively more active on the Internet. Almost one in five people between the ages of 15 and 25 years old had been the victim of cybercrime in the past year.

Traditional crime is still more commonly experienced by Dutch residents with one in five people affected by burglary, violence or theft. Though this remains at about the same level as 2011, a downward trend is noticeable.