Schuijer J.

Tolerance at Arm's Length: The Dutch Experience

Journal of Homosexuality vol. 20 nr.1/2 pp.199-229 (1990)

Jan Schuijer has a MA in economics and is a member of the Committee on Legislation of the Netherlands Society for Gay Integration COC. Correspondence may be send to the author at Mozartlaan 73, 7522 HL Enschede, Netherlands.

Summary. With respect to pedophilia and the age of consent, the Netherlands warrants special attention. Although pedophilia is not as widely accepted in the Netherlands as sometimes is supposed, developments in the judicial practice showed a growing reservedness. These developments are a spin-off of related developments in Dutch society. The tolerance in the Dutch society has roots that go far back in history and is also a consequence of the way this society is structured. The social changes of the sixties and seventies resulted in a "tolerance at arm's length" for pedophiles, which proved to be deceptive