Victimisation in a digitised society / druk 1

The internet has brought us great benefits but also new forms of vulnerability. Computers are attacked by hackers, people buying online are defrauded, and stalkers use digital technology to hound their victims. This research presents the first countrywide view of victimisation in the Netherlands caused by 'offences with a digital component', in other words cybercrime. The results were collated from data covering 9,163 users of the internet from the age of 15 upwards. They focus chiefly on the scale of victimisation and the factors affecting the risk of becoming a victim. The role of the police is also taken into account. The figures reveal that cybercrime has a serious impact on the daily life of ordinary people. It has all the characteristics of high-volume crime. This means that expertise on cybercrime ought to be broadly available throughout the entire chain of criminal law. The results of this research are significant for all who are involved in the digitisation of our society and in combating crime.