In
January, I turned to the Dutch authorities that I
thought might handle molestation cases like that of
this particular child abuser. This included the Child
Protection Agency (called "Raad voor de
Kinderbescherming"), the Social Services Agency
(called "RIAGG"), the police, and our family doctor.
At every organization I visited throughout the first two weeks of January I was given the pamphlet (cover pictured). The translation is roughly, "Telephone Emergency-Line for Sexual Abuse."
In fact,
these pamplets are available at nearly all government
social services agencies, all hospitals, all police
stations, and all doctors offices in the Haarlem
region (including Haarlem, Heemstede, Zandvoort,
Overveen, Bentveld, Aerdenhout, and all the little
villages within the (023) area code. There are even a
few posters resembling this in the train stations.
I immediately started telephoning this number. I phoned every day for several weeks and then dropped off to calling a couple times a week. Every time I called, the only response was the sound of an disconnected number.
I made the incorrect assumption that "perhaps the organization is just getting started and hasn't had their phone connected yet."
Naturally, I tried to locate other organizations that handled sexual abuse cases. In the entire country of the Netherlands I could find only one other organization concerned with sexual abuse and that was in Utrecht. They were dedicated exclusively to handling cases involving Catholic priests. Nor were there any numbers in the phone book.
At every organization I visited throughout the first two weeks of January I was given the pamphlet (cover pictured). The translation is roughly, "Telephone Emergency-Line for Sexual Abuse."
I immediately started telephoning this number. I phoned every day for several weeks and then dropped off to calling a couple times a week. Every time I called, the only response was the sound of an disconnected number.
I made the incorrect assumption that "perhaps the organization is just getting started and hasn't had their phone connected yet."
Naturally, I tried to locate other organizations that handled sexual abuse cases. In the entire country of the Netherlands I could find only one other organization concerned with sexual abuse and that was in Utrecht. They were dedicated exclusively to handling cases involving Catholic priests. Nor were there any numbers in the phone book.
