Dutch MP's push to make necrophilia a criminal offense

A majority in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, wants to make necrophilia - sexual acts with human remains - a criminal offense. It currently isn’t illegal in the Netherlands. Although Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius (Justice) is positive about the idea, she still advised against the motion of the PVV.

The PVV still filed the motion and got pledges of support from coalition parties VVD and CDA and opposition parties PvdA, SP, and SGP - a large majority in parliament.

Necrophilia is “a serious violation of the physical integrity of the deceased,” said PVV MP Lilian Helder in the parliamentary debate on sexual violence and child sex abuse, where she submitted the motion. She wants necrophilia to be included in the criminal code or in the sexual crimes bill, which the Cabinet is currently working on.

During the debate, it was already concluded that the latter option would delay the bill, and the Kamer does not want that. Yeşilgöz had asked Helder to postpone the motion because she has a “positive basic attitude” towards making necrophilia a criminal offense but first wants to await investigation by the Scientific Research and Documentation Center (WODC). She expects those results in March, after which the Minister can make an “integral policy assessment.”

An adopted motion won’t stand in the Minister’s way, Helder said. She won’t hold back the motion. The Tweede Kamer will officially vote on it on Tuesday.