Immoral or liberated? How society 'thinks' about sexually abused children in residential care, in the Netherlands in the 20th century

Since their introduction in the beginning of the 20th century, policies of placing children and youth in residential or foster care in the Netherlands, have been influenced by discourses and debates on the causes or... [ view full abstract ]

Since their introduction in the beginning of the 20th century, policies of placing children and youth in residential or foster care in the Netherlands, have been influenced by discourses and debates on the causes or consequences of the sexual behaviour of girls and boys. As Carol Smart (2000) explained for the UK, medical, political, legal and psycho-analytical debates sought to define/and or deny the actuality and harm of child sexual abuse in the first half of the twentieth century. It appeared that the debate was not silenced at all, but what was denied was the abusive or the sexual character of child sexual abuse.
After the second world war and based on the psychological and sexological theories that addressed the existence of children’s sexuality, the sexuality debate became to dominate societal views on child sexual abuse. A quantitative and qualitative content analysis of all Dutch child protection and other youth (welfare) journals revealed prevailing views on sexual contacts between adults and children and among young people, and showed how the changing sexuality views also permeated the residential youth care institutions creating an open and liberated sexual atmosphere. Until the 1990’s it was very difficult for young residents to address sexual contacts or initiatives by care workers or peers as unpleasant or unwanted. As such, the sexuality discourses from the sixties on contributed to the silencing of child sexual abuse by denying the abusive character of child sexual abuse.
From the 1980’s on counter-discourses developed in a coalition between government and women’s movement. Many research projects were funded (sexual harassment in the workplace, educational institutions, incest in the family, prostitution, sex trade, domestic violence). The sexual abuse of children and youth in residential and foster care was the last theme to be taken seriously by society.
About the author: full professor in Youth Studies with a PhD in the Social Sciences. Between 2010-2012 I was projectleader of a research project studying the prevalence, types and consequences of the sexual abuse of children and youth in residential care in the Netherlands 1945-2010. This research project was funded by the Dutch government.