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the Netherlands, detecting any channels of distribution within the Netherlands, and investigating the
origins and destination of child abuse material that had been identified. 9 In its investigation report 10 of
August 1986, the working group concluded, amongst other things, that there was no indication of the
existence of the production of child pornography, in so far as the abuse of children with the intention
of producing child abuse images on a commercial scale was concerned. 11 <strong>Child</strong> abuse material was only
discovered sporadically. The final conclusion drawn by the working group was that their findings did
not warrant a comprehensive, more detailed investigation into child pornography being carried out.
However, the working group did make a number of recommendations with regard to effectively detecting
and collecting material evidence, including the recommendation that the policy for detection and prosecution
should be uniform throughout the Netherlands. 12 The recommendation that the police should consider
the possible existence of child abuse material when they encounter cases involving the sexual abuse
of children, and that the searching of premises should be considered at the earliest stage possible, was
particularly interesting. The policy for detection and prosecution should be based on these starting points. 13
The Committee’s conclusions that the production of child abuse material did not take place or hardly
ever took place, and the information that these conclusions had been adopted by the government, were
hardly based on fact. In the 1970s and the early 1980s, the foundations had been laid for the (continued)
existence of the distribution, production and possession of child abuse material. This subculture did not
disappear overnight, see §1.2.2. Nevertheless, the content of the report constituted sufficient reason for
the national government to take limited measures to combat the distribution, production and possession
of child abuse material.
The period from 1986 onwards
From 1986 onwards, there was no clear indication of the number of cases of child pornography. The Minister
of Justice indicated that the <strong>National</strong> Criminal Intelligence Service [Centrale Recherche Informatiedienst]
did not have a comprehensive national overview of the number of child pornography cases in 1987. The
number of cases that came to light was very low. Those cases that were known did not have a background
that was directly commercial. 14 No investigations were carried out into the production, distribution and
possession of child abuse material: investigative authorities usually became aware of the presence or
distribution of images constituting child pornography following a report of sexual abuse with minors.
In 1988, this involved 106 cases, for example. In that year, the <strong>National</strong> Criminal Intelligence Service was
approached by the police five times for assistance in the identification of material constituting child
pornography that had been discovered. 15
9 Van Koppen, 2009. See also the discussion about this in the House of Representatives, Parliamentary
Papers II 1984/85, questions received, 4 December 1984.
10 De Wit, 1986.
11 Parliamentary Papers II 1994/95, 23 682, no. 5.
12 Parliamentary Papers II 1994/95, 23 682, no. 5. This Parliamentary Paper refers to the Dutch Government
Gazette, 1987, 144.
13 Ultimately, this recommendation was not included in the current Implementation Provisions concerning
sexual offences.
14 Parliamentary Papers II1988/89, 20800chapter VI, no. 6.
15 Parliamentary Papers II1990/91, 21 800 VI, no. 10.
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