In the Netherlands, children born from an incestuous relationship are entitled to compensation if they can demonstrate having suffered serious psychological harm, the government said on Monday.
This announcement comes following a decision rendered in October by the Council of State, the highest administrative court in the country, which established that a man born from incest was entitled to compensation. The Council of State concluded “that the nature of the crime committed is such that it causes direct harm not only to the mother, but also to the victim,” State Secretary for Justice Claudia van Bruggen said in a letter to parliament.
“A child born from incest is directly affected by his right to psychological integrity and the development of his identity”
“A child born from incest is directly affected by his right to psychological integrity and the development of his identity,” according to the Council of State. The man is the son of a mother who was a minor at the time of the events, victim of sexual abuse committed by his own father.
In 2025, a majority of the Lower House of Parliament voted in favor of a proposal from left-wing MP Songül Mutluer, aimed at systematically guaranteeing children born from incest the right to compensation from a fund for victims of violent or sexual criminal acts.
