About us | National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children

About us

The National Rapporteur reports on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children in the Netherlands. The Rapporteur, Mrs. C.E. Dettmeijer-Vermeulen, is assisted by a team of staff members who together constitute the Bureau of the Dutch Rapporteur (in Dutch: Bureau Nationaal Rapporteur Mensenhandel, or BNRM).

Main task

The Rapporteur’s main task is to report on the nature and extent of human trafficking and sexual violence against children in the Netherlands, and on the effects of the government policies pursued. The reports contain information on relevant regulations and legislation, as well as information on prevention, criminal investigations regarding human trafficking and sexual violence against children, prosecution of perpetrators and victim support. They also contain policy recommendations aimed at improving the fight against human trafficking and sexual violence against children. 

Position

The Dutch Rapporteur works independently and reports to the Dutch government. The government responds to the report to Parliament. The reports of the Rapporteur are public and can be found on this website (go to: Reports). The Rapporteur is not a complaints body and has no power of criminal investigation.

Working methods

The Bureau of the Dutch Rapporteur keeps in contact with and gathers information from individuals, organisations and authorities involved in the prevention and combating of human trafficking and sexual violence against children and in giving assistance to victims.

For their information, the Rapporteur and her staff have access to criminal files held by police and judicial authorities. Because human trafficking and sexual violence against children often have an international element to them, the Bureau also has many contacts abroad and co-operates with international organisations.

History

In 1997, at an EU ministerial conference on trafficking, the so-called Hague Declaration was adopted. One of the recommendations in this Declaration was to appoint national rapporteurs. The Dutch government did so on, by on 1 April 2000 appointing Ms. A.G. Korvinus as the first Dutch National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings.