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Implementation
Support would take over this role after that. 746 For the provision of assistance, use was made of the assistance
on offer in Amsterdam. The care that was provided was not specifically arranged with the intention
that it would cease again when the individual’s involvement in the criminal proceedings came to an end.
The Mayor and Aldermen of Amsterdam announced that the victims and parents involved would be able to
receive assistance for many years in order to process their experiences. They also indicated that the intensive
emergency assistance would be continued until after the criminal proceedings had been completed. 747
Provision of assistance with regard to victims of child pornography
Discussions were carried out with employees from the Amsterdam Municipal Health Service, in order
to determine how the provision of assistance in the context of child pornography was handled in the
Amsterdam sexual abuse case. 748 Amongst other things, they reported that the Municipal Health Service
actually had no previous experience of cases in which child abuse material played a part. At the most, material
constituting child pornography was found in a flat by coincidence; referring this to the police was
then sufficient. As far as this is concerned, the Amsterdam sexual abuse case certainly forms an exception.
The employees indicated that they had experienced difficulties with many cases of abuse, but that
the employees had not been aware of the fact that child abuse images could have played a part in this.
They reported that in the event of abuse, children in Amsterdam were examined physically, psychologically
and forensically; a so-called direction group comprising experts on sexual violence against children
from the Municipal Health Service, the Netherlands Institute for Psychological Care and Addiction Care
and the Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, where an assessment is made regarding
the help that is necessary. According to the employees, the essence of the Municipal Health Service’s
involvement in this involves referral to a care provision. According to the employees, communication
with the parents formed an important factor. They indicated that, partly on the basis of experiences from
the Benno L. case, the decision was made to always inform the parents of possible victims of new facts
or developments first of all. A screening of the parents and employees of the day nurseries involved took
place in order to determine the extent to which treatment was required.
Furthermore, the employees stated that the decision was made to make use of the regular treatment
on offer in Amsterdam, essentially consisting of a number of modules, in the Amsterdam sexual abuse
case as well. However, they referred to the fact that the aspect of child pornography had also been new
for these care workers. In this connection, the employees also asked what the distinctive elements or
signals are of a case of abuse of which images have been made. 749 In sexual abuse cases, the provision of
assistance is specifically aimed at disrupting the family as little as possible, according to the employees
from the Municipal Health Service: the impact of the abuse on the children is, in the main, linked to the
question as to the extent to which parents remain capable of providing a safe environment for the child.
In the Amsterdam sexual abuse case, it was therefore recommended, for example, for the parents not
to see the images of their children. 750 On the one hand, parents want to know what has happened to
746 Mayor and Aldermen of Amsterdam, municipal council report, 13 January 2011.
747 Mayor and Aldermen of Amsterdam, municipal council report, 13 January 2011.
748 Team leader and psychiatrist/first-line medical practitioner, Vangnet & Advies [Safety net & Advice],
Amsterdam Municipal Health Service, 20 June 2011.
749 See §3.3.2 for the identification of victims of sexual abuse.
750 This presents a very difficult dilemma for parents, because on the one hand, they want to know everything
in detail (e.g. Was the child in pain? Was the child awake?)
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