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Ipce's Newsletters and Meetings - Overview

In this overview, you will see the content all Ipce's Newsletters, especially the reports about the 23 Ipce Meetings. By following the blue bold fonts, you will have an overview of the history of Ipce. 

The Paper Newsletters

[01] - # 1 - Year 1, Autumn 1989

The first Newsletter is actually the report of the third Ipce Meeting in July 1989, Amsterdam. Here before, there have been two meetings, 1987 & 1988 (not reported), meant as  preparations to the annual ILGA (International Gay & Lesbian Association) Meetings. After the expelling of NAMBLA from ILGA, Ipce continued its meetings as an independent organization, then being a meeting of delegates from then about 30 national or local organizations and some individuals. 

In Amsterdam, reports from the countries were followed by a brainstorm session and some presentations of researchers. Reports thereabout and about other projects are added to the Newsletter: Sandfort, Baurmann, Lautmann. 

[02] - # 2 - Year 1, Spring 1990

This Newsletter was meant to be ready for the next ILGA Meeting 1990. Several national organizations and individuals had sent reports: news, activities, research. A long report of the 9th ILGA Conference in Köln, 1987 is given. The same about the 10th ILGA Conference in Oslo, 1988, as well a the 11th ILGA Conference in Vienna, 1989 and the European Regional ILGA Conference in Athens, 1989. In 38 pages, we read reports, minutes of workshops, and recommendations, most of the about Children and Sexuality. 

[03] -# 2 - Year 2, Autumn 1990

Here we read the minutes of Ipce's 4th Meeting in Amsterdam, July 1990. Delegates from 12 organizations were gathered. They reported and discussed, among others about a (better) organization of Ipce itself, as well of its aims and priorities. A report is given about the 12th ILGA Conference in Stockholm, July 1990. A short research report (Lautmann) and some news items followed. 

[04] - # 1 - Year 3, Spring 1991

This thin Newsletter only mentions the next Ipce Meeting and gives some news items. 

[05] - # 2 - Year 3, Summer 1991

Here we see an invitation or the 5the Ipce Meeting in Haarlem, The Netherlands, August 1991. This is followed by an article of [late] Edward Brongersma and two essays about the concept 'pedophilia' as it is defined and interpreted in quite different ways with clearly different views on the background. 

[06] - # 1 - Year 4, Spring 1992

Before the 5th IPCE meeting in 1991, the Association Martijn, The Netherlands, was the Secretary of IPCE, and so the editor of the Newsletter. From then on, the a Workgroup of the NVSH, the Dutch Association for Sexual Reform, was the Secretary, in the person of Frans, who has been the secretary and editor until now, now you read the 30th Electronic Newsletter in 2011. 

This 48-page Newsletter gives the minutes of the 5th Ipce Meeting in Haarlem, The Netherlands, August 1991 - the minutes, made by a USA member, located the meeting in Amsterdam; actually, it was nearby Amsterdam, in Haarlem. I remember this as a meeting of about 80 people. We read reports from several countries,  among others New Zealand, Canada, Spain, Sweden and Italy, and organizations, as well as several papers, reports from other countries, essays, Australia, Israel, Austria, and a literature list, followed by a lot of papers from Germany and its several local groups, all written and edited in German. 

[07] - # 2 - Year 4, Summer 1992

The Newsletter presents some questions and answers about IPCE, and short reports from several countries, Brasil, Russia, Estonia, Hungary, Tsjecho-Slowakia, Spain, Finland, and especially Quebec, Canada en from NAMBLA, USA, including 'Recommended Readings' and a long list of publications from the latter. 

We also see the first list of the IPCE Documentation Service, a selection from the same service of the Dutch group LWGP, part of NVSH. Until 2010, these lists will end Ipce's Newsletters. 

[08] - # 1 - year 5, winter 1993

Here we find for the first time a financial report of IPCE. Sending thick paper Newsletters all over the world had its costs. Then we see the report of the 6th Ipce Meeting in Amsterdam, July 1992, written by a NAMBLA reporter and published in its Bulletin. About 40 people joined the meeting. 

Many topics were discussed in this three-day conference, among others the influence of the media, fear and demonization of sex, new publications, censorship and harassment, laws, sexology, gay movement, demonization of sexually active children and adolescents, rhetoric, the 'sex abuse industry' - and more. 

From several countries was reported, while other reports are sent and published afterwards in the same Newsletter. Verbal reports came from the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France, Denmark, Germany, Austria, the UK and the Netherlands. The 54-page newsletter continues with reports from, among others, the UK, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Spain, Guatemala and several reports auf Deutsch from Germany's local groups. 

[09] - # 2 - year 5, summer 1993

This 43-page Newsletter gives the papers for the next Ipce Meeting, partly being, or followed by, reports or letters from Estonia, Russia, new Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Germany (auf Deutsch), Denmark, France (partly en français), Thailand, Italia, Canada, USA and the Netherlands. 

The themes of the next Meeting are prepared by papers about ethics, the mass media, Eastern Europe (after 1989!). 

[010] - # 1 - Year 6, winter 1994

Again, a financial report is given in this 61-page Newsletter, followed by the reports of the 7th Ipce Meeting, Copenhagen, July 1993

As usual, reports from the eleven countries of the participants were given, now also Poland, and Russia. One of the themes was how to act, now the borders to the former communist states are open. The Newsletter publishes several reports and letters, among others from Germany (auf Deutsch) and France and Japan (en français). 

Another theme was how to act with the mass media. Experience learned - then - that openness to the public media was the best way to act, even as it did not change the public opinion. 

Ethics

A third theme was: ethics, discussed in three discussion groups. 

The first group formulated a basic rule: "Be sensitive for the needs of others". 

In the second group, four basic rules are formulated. 

"The usual ethics in our societies are not appropriate to answer ethical questions in this field. The usual morals deprive children of every sexual, so many intimate and personal contacts. Thus, new ethics are needed on a new fundament: not 'Gods Will in Heaven', but 'Humanity on earth'."

The group agreed about some first primary rules:

(1) De careful for the children.
(2) Be open toward the children, to their feelings, wishes, ideas, culture ...
(3) Have an eye for the environment of the children. 
(4) Create a safe space in which the child can express its real feelings and wishes; in such a space the boundaries can be broadened. 

Even within this safe room, there are criteria for the acceptability of more intimate contacts. The group accepted the next four: 

(a) The child can say yes or no. 
(b) The adult has to be conscious of the norms and morals of the child. 
(c) There has to be open communication. 
(d) There has to be some support group or [social] system for the child outside the relationship. 

When asked 'Is sexuality ethical responsible in a youth-adult relationship?', most of the members answered: 'In fact, quite seldom, especially if the child is young. Play body-games rather than sex-games. 

The group mentioned three pitfalls for the seach of a new morality: 

Do not search for ONE Ipce morality, but for basic ideas to search personal ethics.
Do not speak about behavior, that's for animals, but about how to act in a responsible human being. 
Do not speak about pedophiles, but about youth/adult relationships. 

The third group accepted as a basic rule: 

"No damage or hurt to the children". And: 
"Respect for the child's wished [goes] above the adult's wishes". 
There are great differences between the several age groups.
"Extreme care should be taken to avoid manipulation."
The adult should be conscious of society's norms, and inform the child on possible dangers. 

The plenary session accepted the conclusion of the three groups. The word "care" (second group, rule 1) should be interpreted as tender loving care. An important differentiation should be made between consensual and non-consensual contacts. Several participants pointed to the quite different culture and its rules in the different countries. Be aware of your factual and actual social environment.

Then, a paper about ethics from the Danish participants was discussed. This lead to a second version, the next plenary discussion to a third version, which is published in this Newsletter on page 15 and further. The reversed criteria are:

Four primary criteria
to evaluate a child-adult sexual experience

(A) Did the participants [...] feel that they were in a position to say no or yes and did they really want it?
(B) Which sexual values and norms did the child and the adult have prior to the experience, and were they taken into consideration?
(C) Was there an open communication between the involved partners?
(D) Were there persons in the participant's immediate environment who were ready to support the participants, and did such support actually take place?

These criteria are followed by 11 'possible reflections adults might make on child-adult sex and power differences'. See page 15 and 16 on < http://www.ipce.info/node/99 >.

The Newsletter continued with several papers about a conflict between ILGA and its members NAMBLA (USA) and Martijn (The Netherlands).  This conflict is never resolved: both organizations are later expelled from ILGA.

[11] - # 1 - Year 7, Spring 1995

This Newsletter opens with the report of the 8th Ipce Meeting, July 1994, Amsterdam

As usual, the meeting started with reports from the countries and organizations, now USA, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Poland, Italy, Spain, Czech Replubic, Germany, New Zealand, Greece and the Netherlands. There was a written report from the Canary Islands. 

A first problem spoken about was child prostitution in countries as Thailand. Prostitution as such was condemned, but politicians must have an eye for the intense poverty of families in such countries, one of the sources of the child prostitution there. 

Ethics and morals was the next subject. 

All participating organizations were asked to discuss the papers mentioned here above in Newsletter [10], 1994. It appeared that only a Dutch group had done this and could report about it. 

In general, the papers are seen as a good start, but with several unclear passages and terms, and more a list of targets than a list of usable criteria: "Only saints can perform this". Not usable for jurists, politicians or the general public. The papers are good to start an internal discussion, not yet for a public discussion. The 'targets' and  'questions' should be reformulated into 'criteria'. 

In the discussion, most participants agreed with this view. More difference should be along the line of the age of the child. And the 'criteria' should be usable as 'guidelines'. 

Followed some presentations, one by Don Mader, another by the Dutch group, named "Two different worlds", referring to the discourse of 'the sexual abuse of children' and the 'positively experienced ... contacts ...'.

A part of the meeting, and thus of the Newsletter, was devoted to the internal Ipce regulations as name, membership, admission to the meetings, voting rights, financial dues, the Newsletter, the task of the Secretary, the languages, and more. 

The next section of this Newsletter presented several papers about the conflict between ILGA and three 'pedophilia-minded' organizations, NAMBLA (USA), Martijn (the Netherlands) and BVH/VSG, two gay groups in Germany. The papers are partly in German. Now, expelling from ILGA was a fact.

A mix of news, book reviews, parts of books, and Nouvelles de France, as well as the next Documentation Service List, concluded the 62 pages of this Newsletter. 

[12] - # 1 - Year 8, Summer 1996

This Newsletter opens with the conference papers for the next Ipce Meeting in Copenhagen, followed by the report of the 9th Ipce Meeting in Amsterdam, summer 1995

First we had the reports from the countries: Greece, Denmark, New Zealand, US, UK, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, the latter presenting the about twenty local groups or national organizations in this field. 

The first theme was 'How to survive' as a group and as individuals. 

The next strategies are mentioned: diversity, flexibility, responsibility, self-confidence, use of publicity and openness where this is still possible. 

The second theme was 'Ethics, morals and distinctions'. 

The main concept discussed was 'consent' - not to be seen as a simple yes or no, but rather as an interpersonal process, not free from the social context, which quite differs by culture, country and era. You have to know the reasons, consciousness, motives and feelings behind a yes or no. Note, that is most cultures nowadays nearly nobody will really listen to the child. 
The ethics and morals developed now within Ipce cannot be juridical criteria; it are ethic guidelines rather than exact criteria. 

The third theme was 'Religion and inter-generational relationships', 

introduced by Reverend Don Mader, who gave us an overview of literature and practice in several religious communities. Don is a volunteer in a Rotterdam church, lead by Reverend Hans Visser, who actively helps many minority groups, as drug users and people with pedophilic feelings. 

Churches and other religious communities, and their sacred texts are, seen over ages, very different is sexual matters. The oldest ones have had more freedom, until - among other influences - Platonism and neo-Platonism preached a more strict moral in cases of the body and sexuality. Fundamentalism and strict rules are lively still today, but their are also communities that are more open for the human side of the human being. Sometimes, the old spirit is discovered again. 

The fourth theme was: 'Intergenerational intimacy and working with children'. 

Introductions were given by a child care worker and by me, Frans, about my research project about handling conflicts so that the worker can create and maintain a child-loving atmosphere in which affection can be given. Neither 'controlling the behavior', nor 'avoiding the conflict' can result in such an atmosphere, only 'meeting the person' can do this. It is the art of this profession, child care worker, to avoid and prevent sexuality, but to create and maintain all other kinds of affection and intimacy the children need. 

Also the internal organization of Ipce was subject of discussion and decisions. The proposals of the year before were, some more or less changed, changed into decisions about membership, voting rights, admission, and more. Some of the proposals were moved on to the next meeting. 

The next section of this Newsletter gives a variety of articles, partly written by Ipce members. One of the articles came from a group in Quebec, Canada, with schemes and lists about Trois niveaux de confrontation idéologique / Pedophilia and three ideological perspectives, partly in French, partly in English: Traditionalism, and two kinds of Neutral modernism. Articles in German and some various contributions ended, with the Documentation Service List, this 64-page Newsletter - the last paper version. 

The electronic Newsletters

In 1995, still was said the Ipce had not to be mentioned on the Internet, this opinion changed. In 1997, the first electronic Newsletter was sent, still only to the members, by e-mail, on diskette, and still on paper. Since the Meeting in 1998 had taken important decisions, from 1999 Ipce opened its website on line, and made the Newsletters, thus also the reports of the  meetings, publicly available, starting with Newsletter E(lectronic) # 1. Because these Newsletters now are easily to find on the Ipce website, the description may be short. More attention is given to the annual meetings, because they reflect the history of Ipce. 

# E-01, July 1997

The Newsletter gives (only, except an addition) the minutes of the 10th Ipce Meeting in Copenhagen, summer 1996

As usual, reports from the countries opened the Meeting. Among others Greece, France, Sweden, Italy and New Zealand. 
A first theme was: how to react to the child abuse industry?
A second theme: how to use Internet for internal and external communication? Proposed, and later decided, was to open an e-mail list for members only, and still not to start a website for the public. Also the Newsletters are given in an electronic format. 
Third theme: How to survive, as IPCE, and as a national and local group? 
Fourth theme: the relations with the gay movement; participants reported from their country hereabout. 
Followed: internal discussions and decisions about the structure, the rules and regulations of Ipce. Remembering and re-accepting the rules formed in 1994 and 1995, now a complete set of rules was decided to. 
[Note, that the same structure and rules thoroughly have been changed in 1998.]
A financial report ended the Newsletter.

# E-02, October 1997

Here we see the report of the 11th Ipce meeting in München, July 1997.

After the reports from the countries, now also Spain and Austria, followed a theme: report and discussion about the relations with the gay movement. Then, a media experiment and training was presented.

A next question was: 

"Is lowering the legal age of consent a good aim for IPCE members? If yes, what should be that age? Is it better to combat age of consent laws? Is there a better criterion than age? Is there an alternative?"

The conclusion: 

"The delegates were all agreed that a legal age of consent is not the right criterion. If a country lowers the age of consent, we can only agree if we interpret this as a little step on the way, an intermediate step on a longer way. A legal age of consent, even a lower age, should not be our final aim. In the meantime, we should work to develop alternative solutions."

Then, Ipce decided about Ipce: to continue the mailing list, still to not start a public website. The rule that an organization should manage the function of the secretary was changed: now also a capable person could be the secretary. So, I, Frans, continued my task, but now as a person.

The last day of the Meeting, the German groups presented themselves. An impressive number of groups and people filled the room and had an open interview. The evaluation of the meeting was, as usable, quite positive.

One article ended the Newsletter (and the Documentation Service List): a call for reports about positively experienced 'pedofilic' relationships. This was in 1997.
Note, that the result of this, many years later, in 2011 ended in a book, published by Ipce: "Positive Memories".

# E-03, September 1998

This Newsletter presents a lot of articles. Because the table of contents, and the Newsletter, is easily to find by clicking op the link here above, a short description will be enough.

First, eight in memoriam's: four men, four boys ...
Then: opinions about Ipce itself, meant as a preparation to the next meeting, just once month later.
Follow several articles from several countries with several opinions. Then some more scientific articles and the ususal Documentation Service List.

Ipce changes itself: important Meeting

# E-04, January 1999

During the 12th Ipce Meeting in Athens, October 1998, Ipce has changed itself by some important decisions:
The name changed from "IPCE" - abbreviation - into "Ipce" - name.
A Mission Statement is formulated, that since then is given on page 1 or 2 of every Newsletter.
Ipce changed itself from an 'organization with (delegates of) organizations' as members (with a complex voting system) , into a forum with only individuals as members, whereby each member present at the meeting had one voice.
A website would be built with articles and the Newsletters, from then on publicly readable.

As usual, a financial report is presented and published.

Reports of the countries follow, partly told by letters, among others from French, Ireland and Australia.

Followed some themes discussed during the meeting: orientation, helping each other, the ancient Greeks, concepts, and Youth's turn of 180o:

".... that which was supposed to be consensual and positive is now apparently seen as coercive and negative. Supposedly, thus turnabout is not predictable; it seems to be a 50/50 chance. Maybe, for a child, sex is just a playful activity only. Later, sex is explained to them and then it becomes a problem. Or is it that the social climate is influencing the youth to make this turn in their feelings?"

The next section of meeting and thus Newsletter is devoted to the attempt to start a new gay and lesbian organization, to be named "IOLH - International Organization for the Liberation of Homosexuality", as a counterbalance to ILGA. There has been a conference in Barcelona, from which a Manifest is translated from Spanish. Regrettably, the new organization has never come to live.

An article (Statement)  from Germany (in German) and the list of documents end this Newsletter.

# E-05, February 1999

The first part of this Newsletter is dedicated to the UNESCO Conference, hold in Paris, January 1999. Given are long quotes (with comment) from the conference papers, as well as the decisions of the conference. Two critical letters to the conference, written by Ipce members, are given in full text. 

What follows, are a section with two background articles, and a section of Opinion and discussion, in which two threads from the forum BoyChat are presented here: "Difficult childhood?" and "Tolerance, please".

The Newsletter is closed by "The Doctor and the Reverend", presenting two articles by [now late] Dr Frits Bernard - in German - and by Rev. Hans Visser, Paul's Church, Rotterdam, the Netherlands: "Pastorate and pedophilia".

# E-06, July 1999

The first section is about "Repression of Eros and it's alternative": six articles. Then, a section "Groups discuss" with a letter from DPA to UNESCO, and a report of a conference in Leipzig about "Psychosocial effects of pedophilia".

The third group discussing is actually Ipce itself. Actually it reports an informal Ipce Meeting 1999 On Line:

There was no Ipce Meeting this summer because our host, the Lambda Group in Barcelona, did not invite us. So we have met only on line. For those who only read the paper version of the Newsletter, I've made this overview of the discussion and the voting.

The discussion took place on the E-mail list, named "IMO" = Ipce Meets Online. Most of the messages are archived at the internal IMO web site, known by the IMO List members.

You will see that the mission statement (or the colophon at the first or second page of each newsletter) has been changed, but not (yet?) the name. The discussion about another name and the mission statement is still ongoing.

The Newsletter presents the quite long discussion thread in the form of quotes, followed by the decision made by on-line agreement.

The next section present some more scientific articles, especially about the research of the Rind c.s. Team, presented in 1998.

# E-07, December 1999

The newsletter presents articles, some about the Rind c.s. research. The content can easily be seen by clicking on the link just here above.

# E-08, June 2000

This Newsletter presents the papers for the next Ipce Meeting, July 2000, about the theme "What to do?" and the internal papers as the annual reports of the secretary, the webmaster and the treasurer.

This is followed by a section "Scientists speak out": Foucault, Van Ree (NLs), James Kincaid. It ends with the documentation list.

# E-09, August 2000

The Newsletter reports the 13th Ipce Meeting in the East of the Netherlands, June-July 2000, and two related articles.

The Statement - most Newsletters open with a Statement - is important: Universal sexual human rights.

The theme of the meeting was "What to do? What can we do? What can I do?" This was discussed in two rounds. The question can be answered on several levels.

Firstly, there is the personal level. This level can be seen as a very important one. Everyone should try to be as honest and open as possible in his or her personal environment. Everyone can prove to be a human being and not a demon or a monster.
 

Secondly, there is the internal level. On this level, people should support each other. Supporting prisoners and ex-prisoners was one of the issues of the meeting. Every member should, it was said, support at least one prisoner. Also newcomers should be welcomed and supported in finding their way of living. Also accused people, falsely or not, should receive support and information.
Most of the Ipce members are active people, makers of magazines, web sites, leaders of groups or writers of books and articles. Members can support each other. Try to connect people with each other. Exchange documents, make libraries, learn languages.
 

Thirdly, there is the public level. On this level, we make magazines or web sites; we write books and articles; we write to critical reporters and politicians. This is not easily done. One has to think clearly about the concepts and words to be used and whom we want to reach. The Ipce web site is such a public site that seems to work quite well. The Ipce web has a German and a French section as well now. A Spanish section is in preparation. A lecture for a congress of sexology in Paris, in 2000 as well in 2001 is also such a project.
 

More on the background, everyone can gather documents, books and articles and can formulate insights to use them later on. Learn about the world and think. Learn from experiences and history. Learn about the phobias and the ideologies. Study the laws and think about ethics. Be independent and organize your life in good order.

The internal matters included among others the annual financial report, and a decision about the voting system en rights: now every member can vote by e-mail - for some still by paper post. If the majority agrees with a proposal, Ipce has accepted the proposal.

Three projects were discussed. One of them was to participate in the World Congress of Sexologists in Paris, 2001. Followed a lecture by me, Frans: Treatment, self-help and real therapy.

Then, the Dutch groups presented themselves: ten groups, each with a presentation and a discussion.

Added are two related articles:
Sexual Privacy for Paedophiles and Children, by Tom O'Carroll; paper, Sympision on Sexual privacy, Paris 2000, and
An Outline of Major Events in the UK from January 1999 - May 2000.

# E-10, April 2001

Articles - easily to find by clicking on the link just here above.

# E-11, July 2001

This issue gives the two lectures made for the 15th World Congress of Sexology, Paris, June 2001: one (presented during the congress) of Frans Gieles (in English, French, German and Spanish), the other (refused by the congress management) of Tom O'Carroll; both with background articles.

# E-12, August 2001

Here Ipce presents its report of the 14th Ipce Meeting, Berlin, June & July 2001. We see an introduction by the secretary: "What is Ipce and what is it not?"

This was just the hidden question of an undercover journalist from Finland, present during the Meeting. His report was mentioned in a TV documentary, titled "Child sex network", was aired in Finnish television on 9.10.2001, partly translated in a later Newsletter, # E-19, under "A Journalist reported about Ipce":

"Among the hundreds of pedophile internet sites that caught ones eye, there is one were the discussion is more legitimate. An organization called Ipce has collected a lot of literature on the subject. There are no pictures on the site and no links to child pornography. [...]
About 20 pedophiles from different parts of the world gathered at a hotel favored by backpackers. Among them several doctors; medical doctors, sociologists, former teachers, several computer specialists, students and a couple of journalists. [...]
The beginning of the meeting resembles very much a therapy session where everyone tells there life story and the happy and not so happy moments from the last year.
There are not many happy moments to tell about. [...]
The results of scientific research interest the participants. [...]
During the Ipce meeting there is also an interesting discussion about ethics. [...]
The discussion is continued in the evening at a restaurant in Berlin. I wait in vain for the discussion to turn to child contacts or distribution of child porn. Ipce is an organization for responsible pedophiles and there are nothing illegal going on at the meetings. [...]"

Followed a session in which all members speak out about the questions:
Who am I? Why am I here? What did I do last year?
My insights, doubts, questions, my power and my strength.

Followed a report from the World Congress in Paris, and reports from several projects and problems. As reported above, a discussion about ethics followed, as well as the internal matters and decisions. The next day, the German groups presented themselves, many of them being present.

# E-13, June 2002

This Newsletters gives articles, the first of which is "The debate about the publications of Rind, Bauserman & Tromovitch goes on –  a bird’s eye view, 1997 – 2002; by Dr Frans Gieles ".

After some other articles, quotes, references, are here the internal papers to prepare the next meeting, and an article summarizing the former discussions about ethics: "First do not harm".

# E-14, October 2002

The article about ethics is repeated here, after a next discussion on ethics during the 15th Ipce Meeting, Rotterdam, July 2002.

"The meeting discussing this [ethics], globally accepted the cadre [of the proposed article mentioned just here above] , and concentrated its discussion again on the four guidelines. 
The first three principles are more or less the same, or at least based on the same more basic principle: freedom of choice. The second principle, initiative, is doubtable. The fourth principle is also doubtable and has another base."
The concepts initiative and openness were thoroughly discussed, ending is a next draft text.

Other themes discussed were our host: Saint Paul's Church, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with its intensive programs to help people on the fringes of our society. Also our guests and  vision.

About the latter: a shift in our model or paradigm was made. The former model was 'emancipation'.

"[...] The new underlying theme is living together in spite of differences between people [...], which implies themes like human rights, righteousness, and society. [...] In the living together model, the priority is to clarify and understand the opinions of others, including your opponents. [...]
Well, speaking now about people with pedophilic feelings, the time has passed for seeing them – or for them to see themselves - as people with a particular belief that other people have to be persuaded to accept. In our pluralistic world, one can better view them as people who ask for a modest place under the sun – and who give their opponents the same right. [...]"

The usual internal matters, an evaluation, a Manifesto, two book reviews and the usual Documentation Service List complete this Newsletter.

# E-15, March 2003

Report of a discussion about the Diagnostic Manual DSM, some book reviews, a lecture about Levine's book, and two essays.

About the 16th Ipce Meeting, Copenhagen, June 2003, there is no report. The member who had made the minutes, lost the same by leaving them behind in the train, while travelling to hand them to the secretary ...

# E-16, May 2004

A Statement, articles, reports (read: problems) from Denmark, Germany and the USA are followed by the first list of Absurdities and a book review.

# E-17, August 2004

The opening was a statement, being the next version, after our discussion in Rotterdam, 2002, of our guidelines 'First do no harm'

Here we have the report of the 17th Ipce meeting, Hamburg, May 2004. In the first round, "members speak out" about ...

I am ... from ..., member or leader or webmaster of ...
My situation is ...
I am here because... and for the purpose of ...
My plan is ...
My questions are...

Groups in Germany had infiltrators, so we spoke bout infiltration ... in the presence of an infiltrator, as later became clear. 

Four presentations or proposals, among which 'the use of the media' followed. In the internal section, Ipce again spoke about Ipce: 

"Ipce is not an action group, it is only a Forum. As a Forum it undertakes no action, except making a Mission Statement and doing what is said in that statement: making and maintaining a web site, a Newsletter and an archive of texts (texts only, no images), exchanging documents and organizing meetings. [...]
Ipce keeps to be a Forum only. Action is to be taken by the members and their groups themselves. 
Because Ipce is a Forum, there is not 'one and only true Ipce opinion': a forum allows a collection of opinions."

"... As during every meeting, young people asked for more 'Action!'. [...] Other members said they hate to be pressed into any action, or to be labeled with any opinion on what is voted. The way we are working now is a good way: it gives freedom as well as ideas and inspiration and courage. They said they appreciate feeling this freedom, inspiration and courage. The (young) members asking for Action! agreed with these views on Ipce and its policy." 

And ... here you are ... the next discussion about ethics took place. 

After our former discussions and texts, at least two organizations had taken over our or guidelines. One added "Openness to the parents is strongly recommended", and "This [the set of guidelines] includes acting in harmony with the development of the child." Also, our earlier texts on ethics have been adopted, for example, by some Dutch psychiatrists.

The new version of the guidelines, the Statement of this Newsletter, was discussed again. 

"The crucial point is the openness. Nowadays this is almost impossible. Many parents will forbid the relationship. If one views openness as a conditio sine qua non, intimacy is impossible or unethical - and a lot of members and others [...] agree with this view [...]. Others want to protect the relationship against such bans. However, if a relationship is secret but suddenly comes to the light and suddenly ends, this is also a disaster for all people concerned. Thus, taking openness as a condition is also protecting a relationship against this disaster.
 
Freedom and rights are OK, but with freedom and rights comes also responsibility - I mean for both the adult and the child. See the word "both" in the proposed text. If the young person wants to have secrets, as most teenagers do, this is also his or her right. In heterosexual relationships between teenagers, the same problem comes up."
 
"In Berlin and Rotterdam, we had long discussions, and this paper is still more or less subjective. [...] Maybe it presents more an ideal than reality. The recommendation is "Take into your consideration ..."
 
"Without a vote, the Meeting agreed with the placing of the proposed text [...] as a statement in the [this] Newsletter and asking for reactions."

What followed, was a discussion about depression. "More and more, many people tell us they are depressive – and even, 'horribly depressive'. A lot of people tell me they don’t read any newspaper, nor see any TV programme because they cannot cope with all the negative news. Thus: 

What exactly is a depression? 
How to prevent it? 
How to cope with it? 
How can you help depressive people? People planning suicide? 
Literature? Theories? 

Here is the report of this discussion. Two articles, reports from the Netherlands and Belgium, a book review and the list of documents ended this Newsletter. 

# E-18, February 2005

Articles: six articles about myths and taboos; again two articles about ethics; four articles about research; four articles about current events (Michael Jackson, developments in the Netherlands, and Mary Kay Letourneau); documents list. 

# E-19, July 2005 

Here is the report if the Finish undercover journalist, in a TV documentary, the text written down and translated by one of our Finish members. 

Then we see the report of the 18th Ipce Meeting, Mykonos (Greek isle), May 2005. Reports from several countries, among which extended reports from Denmark and the Netherlands. Followed a long discussion about 'Strategy', especially for now, in the post-modern era, with post-modern children and post-modern adults and culture, about trends and about working with arts. One of our guests showed a script for a film. About Ipce itself was said: 

"The subject ought to be: relationships, not ‘paedophilia’. Intergenerational relationships are inherently neither good nor bad. They always depend on the quality and the consensus. It is a complex subject; there is never one truth nor one good answer or vision. Thus, give room for more answers and visions, and thus for further discussion. This is what Ipce does.   
Accept diversity in the several organizations; do not combat this, but accept and help each other."

Followed a discussion about spirituality. Here is the report of it. Seven articles and the documents list completed this Newsletter. 

# E-20, June 2006

Two statements, a letter and answer, followed by four articles, among which the next list of Absurdities, and the documents list. 

# E-21, July 2006

Report of the 19th Ipce Meeting in Haarlem, the Netherlands, July 2006. After the presentation of the members, we discussed a report from Denmark. Followed a discussion about 'Court room communications', lead by a communication consultant. Discussions there use to follow strict lines, described in the communication theory. Aim (of the prosecutor) is not to know the truth and the facts, but to tell the narrative about a monster. 

"In this context, if the prosecutor gets under your skin and you respond angrily, you’re dead. Do that even only once, and you will walk out in handcuffs. [...]
[Is it] a matter of fact[?]. It is not. It’s a matter of narrative, that is, the prosecution’s attempt to tell the pedophile-monster story. The defendant who responds with a firm, proud, and unequivocal denial to that question, followed by a positive statement and anecdote will walk away a free man."

Followed two short presentations of two essays on sex offenders, presented in Prague in June 2006 at the Congress of the European Federation of Sexologists, by Frans E.J. Gieles, PhD,

  1. There must be a scapegoat; Pitfalls, traps and mistakes in forensic personality investigation; 
  2. 'But sir, you are an offender!' - Narrative coercion as method of behavior modification.

The internal section of the meeting started with a long letter from one of the members who, just like some of the younger members, called for 'action' and gave several proposals to do so. The discussion and the decisions of the Meeting moderated this enthusiasm: 

"The members [...] moderate one another by saying that we do not need over-enthusiastic or over-active people who start a lot of action in the name of Ipce. [...]
One of the members wants to invite more new members and to install a Membership Committee to do that. He has submitted a long list of candidates. But other members moderate his enthusiasm. Most of the persons named are already active and have their own organizations. They must know us, maybe appreciate us, but have not asked for membership. If we invite them, they will say they are already active in their own way and have no more time. 
 
The model 'all heroes in one group' does not work. They don't want this, and if you keep trying it, the group will disperse or explode. The model 'Ipce as an umbrella organization' has been tried in the past, but did not work and has been rejected. [...]
Too large a group cannot work. [...] 
It is important to be reachable and to make contacts possible. That is enough. People will choose their own ways of action."

"Does Ipce have a board, officers and a constitution? No. Does Ipce need a board, officers and a constitution? No. We do not need documents, we need people to discuss and to work. We have a mission statement and a simple model: The annual meeting decides." 

The Meeting decided to install a New Members Committee, that should work very carefully, even slowly. The Meeting formulated criteria for membership, derived from the Mission Statement. 

The next day, about ten Dutch groups presented themselves. 

Seven articles and the documents list completed this Newsletter. 

# E-22, June 2007

For the 24 articles in this Newsletter, click on the link here above. One of the sections was "Fear of a myths isolate children". 

# E-23, September 2007

Fifteen articles about several subject. To prepare the next Meeting, three articles about research are added, as well as the internal annual Ipce reports. 

# E-24, March 2008

Here you are: the report of the 20th Ipce Meeting, Athens, October 2007. First, an outline of the centre of Athens in 2007, crowded as it was of people from many countries, many of them asylum seekers. "Posters and other texts in Arabic, Farsi, Pasthu, Urdu and Dari languages refer to the cultures they came from". Reports and stories from several countries followed. 

The section Internal matters mentions: "The infiltration in Hamburg 2004, and earlier in Berlin 2001, presses us to review the membership rules." A more severe procedure and more strict criteria was decided. 

About Ipce itself, it should have a broad interest, be balanced in the views it presents, and keep the scholarly level. 

"It is the interest of critical humans, critical on society, critical on the way societies handle with youth in abroad sense". 

Texts may be long, with schemes, tables, notes and references - thus not easy to read. Thus, not meant for 'the great public', and not for the ped-hunters who, so we suppose, do not read such texts. Ipce does not seek much publicity. It is not an action group, only a forum. 

The main theme was: Research. Problems of researchers are mentioned. Four research projects in German language are presented and summarized in English (by me, Frans), as well as one project in English. 

One of the members spoke about Indigo children, children who are clairvoyant. They are very sensitive and intelligent and they have some powers. They might be our future leaders. Characteristic for these children is their authenticity. They maintain their feelings and opinions intact and it is not possible to manipulate them. This might change society.

Two articles about research, two other articles, and the documents list completed this Newsletter. 

# E-25, July 2008

First, a Statement & a Question. We concluded earlier that research and science is guided by ideologies. Thus, the question is: "How to combat [false] ideology?" This was a preparation for the next Meeting, as well as the annual internal reports published here. 

Followed several articles, especially about the themes 'photography, arts, fear photo's and nudity. Reports from Australia, summarized and overviewed, illustrate this problem. 

# E-26, November 2008

Here is the report of the 21th Ipce Meeting, Haarlem, the Netherlands. The Statement is about "false ideologies', one of the themes of that Meeting. The country reports came from several countries, among which the traditional long report from Denmark. Three guests from the UK presented themselves: young people, who started as guests and left the Meeting as members. The internal matters section was short. Procedure and criteria for new members were again discussed and decided. We decided to use Skype as a new way of communication between our members. 

A first theme were the decisions of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 12 July 2007. The convention obligates the states to intervene in cases of offenders and of potential offenders. In these papers, "Child" is defined as any person under the age of 18 years. Under b., no definition is given, but some rules
There are also many statements without an argumentation. The main texts are given in the report on this theme. Suggestions for an amendment were given. 

"Many influential people had a conference in Stockholm, mentioned in the Convention. In such a conference, relatively small groups can have much influence. Maybe also scientists and human rights organizations might have influence. They might be able to ask attention for explicit mistakes of justice, for tunnel visions, for ideology."

The next main theme was Research and Ideology. The research of Richard Yuill was presented and discussed. Followed a lecture: "Research, models and ideology - For example: eleven authors, and ten recommendations." by Frans E.J. Gieles, PhD. He (I) gave an overview of models of research, and models of interpretation and vision, divided in three main models. Quotes from the discussion:

"What I see, nowadays, is mixing cultures and globalization - and change. Typical for our era is a great world-wide stream of information. Changing means changing the course and content of that stream of information. Thus, be part of it, share that stream. Send your messages."

"OK. Publish the absurdities of this society. For example, the idea that children should be asexual beings, and that an a-sexual or anti-sexual way of raising them should make them good partners. Why, then, are very young children already registered as sex offenders? There are ambiguities in society's attitude to children. The absurdities do show this." 

[See the next article and  'Absurdities' in Ipce's Newsletter E 20.]

"Children will find their own ways. If they are raised a-sexually, they still will search for their own experiences. In the US sex education limits itself to "Don't do that!" - but they do". 

The last day of the Meeting, again, the Dutch groups presented themselves, now eight of them were present. The evaluation of our guests and members was, as usually, quite positive. Two articles and the usual list completed this Newsletter.

# E-27, July 2009

First: a Statement about ethics. Then a section with six articles, partly an "In Memoriam" about late Michael Jackson.

Then: the report of the 22th Ipce meeting, Hamburg, May 2009.

"Regrettably, shortly before the meeting, three of the members went ill. Our chair broke his ankle, our secretary and webmaster had an emergency surgery on his eye, and our man from Denmark had problems with his nerves and more. Some others, members and guests, usually present at the meeting, were also absent. Thus, only a few members were together in Germany. During the meeting, a skype session was planned and successfully hold, so more contact was possible. And after the meeting, two members have visited the secretary. On the first day, several topics are discussed. Decisions were taken on the second day, when more people were present, and after the skype discussion had taken place."

The theme was again a lecture, written (but not presented) by me: Go Dutch - A Practice Sample; Youth and Sexuality in the Netherlands; Frans E J Gieles, PhD, the Netherlands. Paper (to be) presented at the 19th World Congress for Sexual Health, World Association of Sexology, Göteborg, Sweden, June 2009. 

Other topics were: 

Legal developments in the European Union;  
Circumcision of boys; 
Self criticism & organisational matters; and 
The American group Reform Sex Offender Laws.

The Meeting decided to start an 'Ipce 2' website with more modern lay-out and a wiki-like system. If this succeeds, 'Ipce 1' can be changed into the same lay-out and system. The meeting has set up a committee with for the new website. Guidelines are formulated for the articles on the (renewed) Ipce web site, among which:

"The ‘tone’ and ‘atmosphere’ of Ipce’s web site is describing facts and giving room to correct reasoning. There is no division between “we” and “they”, there is no ‘war against our enemies’. Ipce should not divide but connect people. Ipce should not create or maintain gaps, but build bridges. Ipce only informs the visitor and reader, it does not start political or other action."

Ten articles and the list completed this Newsletters. A section of the articles is again about the fear of pictures and nudity, recently shown in Australia.

# E-28, June 2010

This Newsletter prepares the next Ipce Meeting by giving the usual annual reports just after the usual Statement. Then follows a compilation of articles about "Fear of images", five articles about "Panic and Hysteria" and six Mixed Articles. The usual list of the Documentation Service is stopped, because nowadays it is easy to gather documents by the Internet, as the proposal for the meeting says.

# E-29, January 2011

After the Statement and again three In Memoriam's concerning Michael Jackson, this Newsletter presents the report of the 23th Ipce Meeting, West of The Netherlands, June 2010. Also here is spoken about late Michael Jackson. 

Because Secretary Frans is growing older and weaker, the Meeting decides to install a Steering Committee to gradually take over his functions and the steering of Ipce. The Meeting also installs an Editorial Team for the Website. The new website is tested and may start to be public. There is also a New Members Committee and a Conflict & Emergency Team. A new owner and new moderators for the internal IMO (Ipce Meets Online) forum are appointed. The Meeting decides also to stop Ipce's Newsletter after # 30, and to immediately stop the Documentation Service by now.

What followed was a discussion about Aims & Strategy. In the introduction to this team, Frans (I) said, among other things about 'Groups that (not) survived': 

"[Some] groups have suffered or failed due to internal discord, usually between 'the radicals' and 'the moderates'. 
Groups that survived do have moderators, a 'core of wise men/women', not just youngest members. They practiced leadership; they were bridges. [...]
Groups which have survived have not provoked the public; they give counterbalance, but in a balanced way. [...]
Ipce has chosen to inform the public on a scholarly level with balanced texts only."

The report of the discussion says: 

"Survival was also possible thanks to meetings in person, just as we have now. [...] The great forums give many complaints but few inspiration; small groups give more inspiration. It is just the way Ipce works. [...]
Real influence does not come from the public, but from the philosophers, scientists - and some journalists who are able to 'translate'. [... However, the public media]  often ignore research with findings which contradict the hysteria about pedophilia. That leaves the public with a quite one-sided view. 
Possible means to reach the public include films songs, paintings, arts, videos, TV shows, playwrights. [...]
We have also observed that sites as YouTube and the Amazone Forum refuse pro-pedophilia contributions. Thus, one should not choose this angle and should not use the 'p' word. Better angles are the civil rights of parents and children, freedom to express oneself, combating hysterical fear for friendly adults. Use arguments, not slogans."

Looking back on the meeting, attendants were content with the meeting. The location, a small town just on the Dutch coast, and the accommodation was nice, be it a bit too small for us. Members expressed a desire to invite more guests, to broaden the meeting and the themes. Internal matters can be discussed on the internal forum. An extra day will be fruitful for the meeting.

# E-30, September 2011

This is this issue, being the last Newsletter. The new Ipce website will give enough information in an easy way to read. 

To complete the list of Ipce Meetings, here may be said that there was no Ipce Meeting in July 2011, because of the many cancelling. Only the Dutch members of the Steering Committee were gathered. They have only made internal proposals for (first) the Steering Committee and (then) the members.  The teams and committees are continued or partly renewed. There will be a new secretary, a new treasurer and a team of web-owner/-master and editors for the website.

The newsletter stops, Ipce goes on.

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