Details

The inquiry was set up by its chair Wim Deetman at the request of Conference of Bishops and the Dutch Religious Conference to investigate claims of sexual abuse of minors in Catholic institutions and parishes in the Netherlands in the period from 1945 to 2010. Its purpose was to identify the nature and scale of the abuse and establish accountability for it.

The Process
Between March and December 2010, the Commission of Inquiry received 1,795 reports related to child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. It talked to many victims, limiting the number to expedite the release of the final report; it also commissioned a survey of over 34,000 Dutch nationals aged 40 or over. The Commission also conducted research in the archives of seven dioceses and 16 congregations and orders.

Governing Authority
Conference of Bishops and the Dutch Religious Conference (KNR)

Findings
The Commission found that while the scale of sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church was relatively small in percentage terms, it was a serious problem in absolute numbers, and that several tens of thousands of minors experienced mild, serious or very serious forms of inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Church authorities were aware of the problem of sexual abuse, but failed to take adequate action or pay adequate attention to victims.

Recommendations
The Commission made nine recommendations:

1. that bishops and superiors give an annual public accounting of their efforts with victims and others to facilitate easy access to recognition, help, compensation and after-care;
2. that bishops and superiors critically review and harmonise admission, training and counselling of priests and religious;
3. that the Catholic Church establish and maintain facilities to provide counselling and help for victims;
4. for further research into the role of psychiatry in treating those guilty of sexual abuse of minors;
5. to allow evidence that has come to light in the course of the Inquiry to be referred to the complaints committee;
6. to enable the handling of complaints outside the formal procedure;
7. the adoption of the proposals of the Lindenbergh Commission regarding financial compensation;
8. that a distinct contact person be selected to handle communication with victims and victim groups;
9. and that the Bishops Conference and the Netherlands Conference of Religious urge the government to adopt an integrated and effective strategy to tackle sexual abuse of and the use of violence against minors.

Related Inquiries
Commission on the sexual abuse of government-posted children, 1945 to the present (Samson Commission)

Commissioners

• Draijer, Nel
• Kalbfleisch, Pieter
• Merckelbach, Harald
• Monteiro, Marit
• de Vries, Gerard

Publications

Final Reports

• Deetman, W. et al., Seksueel misbruik van minderjarigen in de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk, Balans, Amsterdam (2 vols). Available at https://voormaligonderzoekrk.nl/onderzoek/eerste-onderzoek/. Details
• Deetman, W., Seksueel misbruik van en geweld tegen meisjes in de Rooms- Katholieke Kerk. Een vervolgonderzoek, Balans, Amsterdam. Available at https://voormaligonderzoekrk.nl/onderzoek/eerste-onderzoek/. Details