Amsterdam
The Netherlands has a new political party devoted to legalizing sex with 12-year-olds. The Charity, Freedom, and Diversity Party, which registered this week, wants to legalize bestiality and child pornography, while lowering the age of sexual consent from 16 to 12. “A ban just makes children curious,” said party founder Ad van den Berg. “We want to make pedophilia a subject for discussion.” Children’s advocates were appalled. “They make out as if they want more rights for children,” anti-pedophile campaigner Ireen van Engelen told Amsterdam’s Allgemeen Dagblad. “But their position that children should be allowed sexual contact from age 12 is of course just in their own interest.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Mickey 17: 'charming space oddity' that's a 'sparky one-off'The Week Recommends 'Remarkable' Robert Pattinson stars in Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi comedy
-
EastEnders at 40: are soaps still relevant?Talking Point Albert Square's residents are celebrating, but falling viewer figures have fans worried the soap bubble has burst
-
What will the thaw in Russia-US relations cost Europe?Today's Big Question US determination to strike a deal with Russia over Ukraine means Europe faces 'betrayal by a long-term ally'
