Growing fears over emergency asylum shelters: data paints a different picture
In the media image: Getty Images on Unsplash+
Women’s marches against emergency asylum shelters in the Netherlands are on the rise. In ‘Trouw’ newspaper, Arjan Blokland, Professor of Criminology & Criminal justice, says women face more risks in a sports canteen than when cycling past an asylum shelter.
In Dutch towns and villages, women’s marches are being organised to protest against the opening of emergency reception centres for asylum seekers. The women are mainly worried about single men living in these centres. While these feelings of insecurity are understandable, Arjan Blokland says that research data does not back up these women’s fears. ‘They’re actually more at risk in the canteen of their hockey club than when cycling past an asylum shelter. But sometimes figures aren’t enough to lessen fears.’
A recent report by the WODC (Research and Data Centre) shows that there is no clear difference in the number of crimes committed by asylum seekers compared to those committed by Dutch citizens. Yet, the report does acknowledge that such comparisons are by no means clear-cut. Only property offences, such as theft, are committed more often by asylum seekers. Blokland says this can be explained by the fact that this group often consists of young men. ‘Does that make asylum seekers different from Dutch men of the same age? No. Asylum seekers are in fact less frequently represented in violent-crime statistics.’
The professor adds that the public debate is increasingly dominated by extreme opinions. ‘The point is: if a white man commits a sexual offence, then it’s just that. But if the same offence is committed by someone of colour, people say it’s because of where they come from. Asylum seekers are not coming here en masse to commit crimes or sexually assault women.’
More information?
Read the full article in Trouw (€, in Dutch)