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Implementation
Prevention in the real world
An inventory of existing initiatives and projects concerning the protection of one’s sexual integrity by
the Internationaal Informatiecentrum en Archief voor de Vrouwenbeweging (IIAV) [now known as Aletta – Institute
for Women’s History] and Rutgers Nisso Groep revealed that a large and reasonably varied number of
intervention programmes exist in the Netherlands in relation to the protection of one’s sexual integrity,
which programmes aim to serve the needs of the national, regional or local population. 52 The majority
of interventions broadly focus upon defending one’s integrity, but what is striking is that almost none
of the 79 projects that were studied 53 are explicitly geared towards prevention of sexual coercion and
sexual violence. 54 Moreover, it is not always clear whether the projects also expressly seek to change
behaviour. 55 The IIAV and Rutgers Nisso Groep therefore recommended that specific attention must
be paid to protection of sexual integrity, preferably with the aim of practising changes in behaviour. 56
Prevention in the virtual world
In its annual report of 2008, Meldpunt Kinderporno op Internet [Hotline Combating <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong> on
the Internet] reported an increasing trend in the number of children who rendered themselves victims,
for instance by producing and sending photographs or video files of a sexual nature by telephone or the
Internet. 57 The Centre also conducted a study of the chatroom behaviour of 1000 young people between
the ages of 12 and 18 years. Although the youngsters indicated that they were aware of the dangers of
chatting to strangers, 18% of boys and 23% of girls stated that they had once agreed to meet someone in
real life with whom they had become acquainted on the Internet. 58 The fact that youngsters are aware
of the dangers associated with chatting, yet do not always act accordingly, is consistent with the findings
of other studies into the preventative effect of awareness campaigns, which showed that there is little
evidence that prevention programmes influence behaviour. 59
It is obvious that prevention programmes geared towards protecting one’s sexual integrity must (also) focus
upon the online behaviour of children and young people. However, only seven projects of the 79 intervention
programmes that were studied by IIAV and Rutgers Nisso Groep focused on promoting media literacy. 60
52 Meulmeester et al., 2008. For an overview of current policy programmes, see §2.4 and later in this report.
53 These concerned 35 generic projects and interventions of which prevention of sexual coercion forms a
substantial or identifiable component, and 44 specific interventions that are aimed at a specific target
group or a specific element of sexual coercion.
54 Meulmeester et al., 2008, pp.105-106.
55 Quayle et al., 2008, pp.95-96 and Smallbone et al., 2008, p.137 draw the same conclusion with regard
to prevention projects in other countries.
56 Meulmeester et al., 2008, p.106.
57 Meldpunt Kinderporno op Internet, 2009, p.24. See also §1.4.3 for further information in relation to the
phenomenon of sexting.
58 Meldpunt Kinderporno op Internet, 2009.
59 Quayle et al., 2008 cite three studies that show that whilst knowledge has increased thanks to the
prevention programmes in question, young people’s behaviour has not been influenced, pp.95-96.
60 These concerned the websites: www.mediawijsheidkaart.nl, www.kinderconsument.nl, the sub-page
‘Veiligheid’ [Safety] on www.kennisnet.nl, www.surfsafe.nl, www.iksurfveilig.nl (viewed 22 August 2011)
and the educational pack ‘Online grooming’ of Stichting k.o.e.i. [<strong>Child</strong>ren, Parenting, Education and
Internet Foundation].
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