Sexual violence czar Mariëtte Hamer has come up with a set of recommendations to help victims of sexual harassment and violence more quickly following a 37% surge in reports to the main help organisations.

More people are reporting instances of sexual harassment partly prompted by media attention and campaigns, but professional help is not always immediately available, Hamer said.

To help this growing group, which currently stands at over 40,000 people, Hamer wants more investment in specialist and low threshold help, and better coordination between help organisations.

By 2026, the six most important help organisations may be dealing with 83% more reports than in 2020, Hamer told the NRC in an interview. Police reports are not included in the figures.

Hamer said the publicity surrounding high profile cases involving sexual harassment, such as The Voice, former Ajax director Marc Overmars, and the new sexual offences law had boosted reports. “People recognised themselves in those stories.

“It was a problem for people as individuals but not for society as a whole. Many people reported instances dating from the past. There was a lot of catching up to do,” she said.

Help for victims of sexual violence is too fragmented and needs to be more focused, Hamer said. “Some people need specialist help, others need low threshold care. We also want family doctors to do more… If trauma isn’t recognised in time it will get worse,” she said.

Hamer said she hoped more measures would effect a culture change. “We are looking at how to make different sectors, such as the hospitality sector, care, education and many other sectors more safe. We talk to local councils about street intimidation. Two people were sentenced recently and that is a deterrent. (..) But I hope people will look out for each other more in this hierarchical society. We often see change through emancipation,” she told the paper.

Hamer also commented on the appeal of people such as misogynist Andrew Tate to young men. “Some men and women think the attention for sexual harassment is exaggerated.  I have heard men say they are afraid to get into a lift with a woman. There is a fear behind that and we need to pay attention to that group…To those people I would say: “Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself”.