Notaries threatened more often, increase via social media

The number of threats against notaries has increased. Nearly half (47 percent) of (junior) civil-law notaries say they have been threatened. In 2016, this figure was 42 percent. This is according to research by the Royal Dutch Association of Civil-Law Notaries (KNB). 859 (junior) civil-law notaries participated.

The most common form of violence is verbal abuse. 57 percent of respondents who say they have been threatened have experienced this. 20 percent receive written threats via email, 12 percent via mail, and 4 percent via social media. In 2016, the Royal Netherlands Notary Association (KNB) also conducted research into threats and violence in the notarial profession. The percentage of threats via mail or email hardly differs from that study. However, the number of threats via social media has doubled.

Physical violence
About 7.5 percent report having experienced physical violence. This was down from 6 percent in 2016. Of all participants, 17.5 percent say they have been threatened with physical violence. This can include threats with a weapon or death, but threats of death to loved ones also occur. Reporting the crime is rare. Only 8 percent did so. In 2016, this figure was 10 percent.

Conscientious objection
57.5 percent of threats occur in family law practices, the same as in 2016. 30.5 percent are received by real estate practices and 9.5 percent by corporate practices. It is striking that the number of threats due to conscientious objection has increased significantly compared to 2016. Back then, it was 5 percent of threats, now it's 7.5 percent. The study also revealed two clear points of criticism: the desire to report anonymously to the FIU and a higher threshold for filing a disciplinary complaint. In Notariaat Magazine 6/2020, the Public Prosecution Service responds to the desire to report anonymously.

More information: KNB, Jessica Hendriks, j.hendriks@knb.nl , +31 70 3307118