Half of lawyers attacked in Netherlands in 2021

Half of the country's lawyers were attacked in 2021, according to a study commissioned by the Dutch Bar Association (NOVA). Research commissioned by an independent agency by NOVA revealed that half of the country's lawyers were attacked in 2021, mostly from their clients.

Of these, 41 percent were verbal abuse, 34 percent intimidation, 18 percent threatening and 4 percent physical assault. According to a survey of nearly 1,100 out of 18,000 lawyers registered with NOVA, 20 percent of those attacked were considering leaving the profession, while 40 percent were attacked more than once.

In the report, it was noted that criminal and enforcement lawyers were attacked the most. It was reported that while more than half of the attacks came from the lawyers' own clients, in some cases there were also attackers from the other party or third parties.

NOVA General Council member Jeroen Soeteman told local media about the report that the findings were "shocking" but not "surprising". In the report, 49 percent of those engaged in politics from other occupational groups, 33 percent of civil servants and 82 percent of journalists were exposed to similar attacks.