Dutch Child Sex Ring -- Where's the Justice?

Dutch Child Sex Ring -- Where's the Justice?

By Peter Hannaford on 6.11.12 @ 6:33AM

A U.S. ally's stunning tolerance of pedophilia.

Say "Holland" or "The Netherlands" and we think of tulips, good cheese, and an upright, hard-working population engaged in international trade for centuries. Most Dutch match that description, but more than a few are engaged in a thoroughly despicable activity: a child sex and pornography ring.
The uncovering of the ring by law enforcement agencies has led in recent days to 33 arrests worldwide, including 13 in the Netherlands (and eight in the U.S). One Dutch citizen is accused of sexual assaults on 67 children.
According to the State Department's 2011 report on trafficking in persons, "the Netherlands is primarily a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking."

 Dutch prosecutors asked for a ban on a pedophile group named "Martijn" which advocates consensual sex between adults and children. In a court hearing in the city of Assen, they contended, "Its banning and dissolution are necessary to avoid a dangerous situation for society." They said the group created "a sub-culture in which sexual relations between adults and children are tolerated and even glorified."
In what at first glance seems to be a peculiarly contrary position, the Dutch Ministry of Justice has opposed the requested ban, claiming that the "Martijn" group's activities were not illegal under Dutch law. Its attorney claims protection under "freedom of expression."

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