Mostly false: “The problem is mass migration. Flooding our streets with men from women-hostile cultures = abuse, violence, murder”

In October 2025, Sebastian Kruis, politician for the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), posted a controversial statement on his X profile: “The left says the problem is men. Wrong. The problem is mass migration. Flooding our streets with men from women-hostile cultures = abuse, violence, murder.” The post appeared two months after the murder of a Dutch girl by a man with a migrant background. According to Kruis, Europe is “sacrificing” its women by refusing to close its borders. His claim is mostly false.

On 2 October 2025, Kruis shared the statement on X, accompanied by a video in which he elaborated on his views. The post was a repost from Patriots for Europe, a European alliance formed by several far-right parties across EU member states.

The timing was significant. The Netherlands had experienced a turbulent summer, marked by intense public debate following a femicide case in Amsterdam. A suspect with a migrant background was arrested, and the case sparked heated discussions in Dutch parliament about migration, crime and women’s safety.

What does Kruis mean by “mass migration”?

In his statement, Kruis refers to “the left”, meaning left-wing political parties, whom he accuses of blaming men in general for violence against women. He argues instead that the real issue is “mass migration”, although he does not define what he means by this term.

There is no universally agreed definition of “mass migration”. According to figures from the European Parliament, the number of asylum applications in the EU was actually lower last year than in 2023, undermining the idea of an unprecedented influx.

Kruis also claims that migrants come from “women-hostile cultures” and links this to abuse, violence and murder. While he does not specify which cultures he is referring to, the implication is that violence against women is inherent to certain migrant communities.

However, migration patterns in the EU paint a different picture. The largest group of migrants in the EU comes from other EU countries. Among non-EU migrants, the biggest groups originate from Ukraine, India, Belarus, Morocco and Syria, according to the European Commission.

On the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, these countries rank 54th or lower — but several EU countries also rank below that threshold. This shows that gender inequality is not exclusive to non-EU or migrant-origin countries.

No clear link between migration and crime

The claim that mass migration automatically leads to increased violence against women is misleading. Numerous studies show that migration itself does not cause higher crime rates.

In February 2025, the ifo Institute found that German regions with higher numbers of migrants do not experience higher crime rates, including violent crime. A study by Erasmus University Rotterdam similarly concluded that the belief that immigration inherently increases crime is not supported by data.

Media outlets such as Deutsche Welle have also reported that immigration has not led to increased crime rates in Germany, even in areas with a high number of new arrivals.

Migrants are not inherently perpetrators of gender-based violence

Kruis’ statement further suggests that migrant men from so-called “women-hostile cultures” are more likely to commit gender-based violence. This assumption is not supported by evidence.

According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE, 2025), migrant women may be more vulnerable to violence due to social and economic factors, but migrants are not automatically perpetrators. Data from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA, 2014) show that violence against women occurs across all communities, regardless of origin or migration status.

In other words, migration alone is not a reliable predictor of gender-based abuse.

Important context and methodological considerations

Several factors complicate the interpretation of crime statistics. The concept of “women-hostile cultures” is vague and lacks a clear definition in academic research, making broad generalisations problematic.

Studies also account for variables such as age, socioeconomic background, neighbourhood conditions and level of integration — factors that often play a much larger role in crime than migration status. Differences in reporting practices can further distort crime statistics.

Additional research, including the CORDIS EU project (2023) and publications by Springer (2024), confirms that there is no direct causal link between migration and crime. When migrants are well integrated and have access to education and employment, crime rates do not rise and social cohesion may even improve.

Verdict: mostly false

Sebastian Kruis’ claim is mostly false. Countries with higher levels of migration, such as Germany, do not experience higher crime rates, as demonstrated by multiple studies, including research from Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Sanne Noyon, researcher at a Dutch centre for scientific research and data, told Nieuwe Rotterdamse Courant: “In general, men are more involved in crime, but most asylum seekers do not come into contact with the police.”

While migrant women often face increased risks, migrant men are not automatically perpetrators of violence. The FRA has shown that violence against women occurs across all cultures. A major issue with Kruis’ claim is that he never defines what he means by “women-hostile cultures”. We contacted him to ask for clarification and for the research underlying his statement, but received no response.

Leave your comments, thoughts and suggestions in the box below. Take note: your response is moderated.