Cases of international parental child abduction involving Dutch families have risen sharply, with 270 children illegally taken abroad by a parent last year – a 70 case increase from the previous year. The Dutch Centre for International Child Abduction (IKO) emphasizes the need for continued prevention efforts and awareness campaigns. Many parents are unaware that taking a child without the other parent’s consent constitutes a criminal offense. Poland remains the most frequent destination country, but Spain and Syria have recently seen a rise in these cases; Spain due to increasing living costs in the Netherlands, and Syria due to recent political changes encouraging fathers to return. Mothers initiating the abduction remain the most common scenario, accounting for 75% of cases. The IKO offers preventative counseling – 491 sessions last year – to families experiencing difficulties, stressing that prevention is key as recovering children can be challenging due to differing international laws and procedures.