A commission led by emeritus professor of pedagogy Micha de Winter has presented a report, Schade door schande (Damage by Shame), detailing the experiences of an estimated 13,000 to 14,000 unmarried mothers who gave up their children in the Netherlands between 1956 and 1984. The report highlights the immense pressure exerted on these women, often minors, by family, church, and social workers, leading to involuntary adoptions and lasting trauma.

The consequences of these actions persist today, with mothers feeling deprived of control over their lives and children experiencing feelings of rejection and abandonment. The commission advocates for the inclusion of this painful history in the Canon van Nederland to ensure future generations learn from it.

The investigation revealed instances where young girls, often lacking sex education, were ostracized by their families and sent to special homes to give birth. Social workers and psychiatrists frequently labeled these girls as “imbecile” and “disturbed,” and babies were often taken away immediately after birth, sometimes with the mothers blindfolded.

The report notes that the prevailing morals of the time prioritized minimizing shame for the family, even at the expense of the well-being of the mother and child. Fathers could even be fired for failing to properly oversee their daughters.

While adoption became legally possible in 1956, it also led to the view of unmarried mothers changing under the influence of psychiatrists. They were deemed “socially disturbed” and unsuitable to raise a child.

The commission’s research revealed that despite the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, the strict condemnation of unmarried pregnancies continued. The report highlights the irony that women who were pressured to give up their children had to keep it a secret and then had to watch as the views started to change.

De Winter emphasizes that many parties bear responsibility for this history, including politics, government, general practitioners, psychiatrists, church, and families. The commission recommends that all parties critically examine their contribution and draw consequences from it.