News item | 31-03-2025 | 16:00
As from Tuesday, April 1, Special Investigating Officers in Four More Cities – Almere, Dordrecht, Heerlen and Tilburg – Will Be Authorized to Take Enforcement Action Against Sexual Harassment in Public. This expansion builds on a pilot project launched on 1 July 2024, the day the sexual crimes act (Sexual Crimes Act) Came Into Force. Since then, Special Investigating Officers have already tasks Enforcement Action Against Sexual Harassment in Public in Arnhem, Utrecht and Rotterdam.
Special Investigating Officers Are Not Automatically Authorized to Take Enforcement Action Against Sexual Harassment in Public. The Pilot Project is intended to Assess How Their Involvement, Alongside the Police, Can Contribute to Effectively Enforcing This Criminal Offence. It will Continue for Another Year. An Evaluation Process is running in parallel with the pilot project. The Evaluation Process and Experiences from the Pilot Project Will Inform Decisions on What Role Special Investigating Officers Can Play in Enforcing the Law Against Sexual Harassment in Public. The Evaluation Process is expected to be complete by the summer of 2026.
State Secretary Coenradie PreviOutly Visited Special Investigating Officers in Utrecht and Plans to Visit Almere Later This Year.
“The pilot project with special investigating officers Tackling Sexual Harassment is already yielding its first positive results: it has not only led to the first prosecutions and convictions, but it is also reinforcing an importing social standard. Our Broader Approach to this Issue, which also includes Prevention and Awareness.
