SEMINAR: TRADE IN PEOPLE, ABDUCTIONS AND ABUSE OF CHILDREN IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Organisers: The association "Breaking the Silence" in collaboration with the ERA group of the European Parliament

Place: European Parliament

Rue Wiertz, Salle Leo 7C050

1047 Bruxelles

Dates: 15 & 16 October 1998

Simultaneous translation: Dutch, French, English and German

Participation at the seminar is free of charge. However attendance should be indicated in advance by 12 October 19988 to Bart Staes, European Parliament, Wiertzstraat 2H357, 1047 Brussels. (T. +32-2-2842394 - F. +32-2-2849993 ~Email: bstaes@europarl.eu.int)

PROGRAMME

Thursday 15 October 1998

9.00-9.30 Welcome and registration of participants

9.30-9.45 Introductory remarks by Nelly Maes, member of the Flemish Parliament and Flor Van Noppen, spokesperson for the association "Breaking the Silence"

9.45-11.00 Round Table 1:

"Testimony of victims"

Debate with:

- Anne-Marie Davies, author of book: "Out of the Shadows. Fred West's daughter tells her harrowing story of survival"

- Régina Louf, witness XI from Neufchâteau

Moderator: Mrs. Von Mielobenstein

Question & Response session

11.00-11.20 Coffee

11.20-13.00 Round Table 2:

"True or false memories. How to differentiate?"

Participation of:

- Dr. Peter Van Koppen, Head Dutch Research Center "Criminality and Justice", Guest Professor at the Law Faculty of the University of Antwerp

- Dr. Marc Reisinger, Psychiatrist

- Prof. Dr. Karel Pyck, MD, Professor of Child Psychiatry, University of Leuven

Moderator: Prof Dr. Geert Vervaeke, Professor at the Law Faculty, University of Leuven

Question & Response session

15.00-16.35 Round Table 3:

"Can the Press break the silence?"

Debate with:

- Nick Davies, Journalist of the "The Guardian" and author of the series "The most secret crime".

- Douglas Deconinck et Annemie Bulté, Journalists of "De Morgen", authors of a series on witness XI of Neufchâteau

- Anne Fröhling, sociologist et journalist, Hamburg, author of an article entitled "The False Memory Movement on German Press and Public Opinion".

Moderator: Mike Demulder, Journalist, radio-information service VRT

16.35-16.55 Coffee

16.55-18.30 Round Table 4:

"Power and impotence of European cooperation in police and justice affairs"

Participation of

- Jaak Vandemeulebroucke, MEP

- Prof. Dr. Lode Van Outrive, Emeritus professor, Criminologist

Experiences of:

- Freddy Troch, ex "juge d'instruction", vice-president of the Court of First Instance of Dendermonde, President of the "P" association, on a thorough insight into the police services,

- Martin Schulz, MEP, author of the report "Fight against the sexual tourism involving children (to be confirmed)

Friday, 16 october 1998

9.00-10.10 Round Table 5:

"Testimonies on trade in people and abductions"

Participation of:

- Patsy Sorensen, founder of PAYOKE, deputy burgomaster of Antwerp

- Tiny Mast, the mother of Kim and Ken

- Nelly Maes, Member of the Flemish Parliament, expert study of the pornography dossiers of the children Temse et Zandvoort.

- Anita Pintjens, Father of Nathalie

- Rita Eggermont, Mother of Inge Breughelmans

- Julia Vandenbrande, Mother of Ines Van Muylder

- Dirk Vanden Branden, Father of Liarn

10.10-10.30 Coffee

10.30-11.30 Round Table 6:

"Problems faced by aid donors"

"The difference between clinical and legal proof" by Piet De Brauwere, Police Commissioner of Oudenaarde

"Keeping awareness of the unsaid: long term responses to the abuse of children" by Sue Richardson, independent psychotherapist, Middlesbrough

11.45-12.30 Press meeting (with simultaneous translation)

14.30-16.00 Closing session of seminar

"Summary and Conclusions"