Research programme
Since its activities were started in 1998, the
Foundation has chosen to operate as a fund for scientific research.
This means that it envisions strong cooperation with other research
organisations and with institutes that develop research programmes.
In view of its limited financial means, it also envisions
cooperation with other funds which are interested in its core area.
A programme provides a strategic and thematically compact framework
in which the Fund can effectively finance interrelated research and
development projects on the basis of clear procedures. It is also
important that a programme focuses on themes and principles that are
not yet covered by the programmes of ‘established’ research
institutes.
The objectives of the research programme are:
• to obtain more insight into sexual development
processes in relation to social, emotional, cognitive and physical
development;
• to contribute to sexual emancipation and sexual health;
• to contribute to helping develop the capacity for relationships,
an awareness of interaction and a sense of responsibility;
• to support parents, guardians, educators, teachers, public
relations officers and care and welfare workers by effectively
channelling the knowledge gained from research;
• to promote debate in circles of lawyers, sociologists, government
officials and politicians on the social and legal frameworks that
are needed for the developments given under the second and third
points.
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Priorities
In order to achieve this objective, a number of
priorities have been formulated in the context of this programme.
• The Fund views sexuality as part of a broader whole, as a
component aspect of the broader field of individual development (in
this case, of children and young people). This is primarily about
socio-cognitive functioning and development as well as
interactive-emotional functioning and development. What this means
is that research should make manifest the place and function of
sexuality in that whole as well as in conjunction with other aspects
of development.
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• New research themes are approached from the
perspective of children and young people’s discovery, actions and
experiences. This means that not only their conscious actions and
perceptions are important, but also what moves and affects them
subconsciously. Although children and young people may not be aware
of the significance to their daily lives, research has shown that
their experiences can be of great value to their future development.
• The programme must therefore clearly focus on the societal
context. The effects of different social systems and cultures,
including their values and standards, social controls and
stimulating and inhibiting influences, should also be research
themes.
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• There should also be attention paid to how people
develop and use a broad range of interactional and social skills.
These skills will primarily be important when young people become
involved in erotic and sexually tinted interactions shortly before,
during and after puberty.
• It is also important to discover how children and young people
integrate knowledge, experiences and esteem or recognition.
Essentially, this involves the gradual exploration of bits and
pieces of knowledge and experiences that will later prove to be part
of what our society refers to as ‘sexuality’.
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• The considerable differences between boys and
girls in their development, in the way they perceive sexuality and
their own sexual functioning, need to have a systematic place in the
programme.
• After all, the field of social and societal forces on which
development takes place can only be brought into focus if the entire
field is studied using an integrated approach. Possible starting
points might be school and one’s upbringing, social rules,
government policy, legislation and current regulations.
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Demarcation of the field
The programme relates to the sexual development,
sensual perception and sexual health of children and young people to
15 years of age (16 years of age is the statutory age at which
people may freely engage in sexual contact and enter into
relationships). This refers to sexual development in a broad sense,
which also includes the development of the capacity to interact and
form relationships. In addition to offering a description of the
various phases of sexual development, research should also
investigate the influence (be it positive or negative) on sexual
development and sexual health of individual and personal factors and
experiences, factors related to family, the environment and society.
Research of problems in sexual development and sexual health is also
appropriate within this programme. This sort of research is
particularly important for purposes of education and prevention and
more generally, important for policy in the field of public health.
It is obviously a field of research where a multidisciplinary
approach is well suited.
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Two-track policy
In view of the basic assumptions used by the Fund, a
two-track policy is pursued in the research programming. The first
track involves research that takes stock, describes, identifies
problems and provides insight, as explained above. At least
initially, emphasis will lie on this track. The second track
involves research that has a more practical orientation and is aimed
at offering professional support, as well as geared towards
development and implementation projects, with the object of
furthering professionalisation in the various groups of
practitioners and enhancing their knowledge. This type of research
can be concluded with evaluation and study of the effects. After
making adjustments if they are necessary, implementation can take
place on a broader scale.
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Outside the scope of the programme
Research in the field of sexual abuse falls outside
the framework of this programme. However, a number of the findings
of the research programme will undoubtedly be useful for clinicians
in the diagnosis and treatment of this problem. If studies of sexual
development should point to sexual abuse as an influential factor,
this will be included in the analyses. Research focusing exclusively
on paedophile contacts and relationships, so-called
transgenerational relationships, falls outside the scope of this
programme as well. However, this type of relationship will come up
in the research of sexual development and sexual health. In that
case, these relationships will get the research attention that is
necessary.
Updated: 09.02.2011
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