Today's front pages are plastered with pictures of Michael Jackson's memorial extravaganza, but the papers also cover a disturbing official report.

"The incidence of sexual violence is alarmingly high" concludes research covering 6400 people from across the social spectrum. nrc.next says the findings show more than one in nine women, nearly one million people, have been raped, and that about one in three women have suffered some kind of sexual violence. In about half the cases, those responsible are known to the victims, often their partners or boyfriends. Much of the violence goes unreported and services for victims are substandard. The number of young girls forced into having sex is strikingly high.

De Volkskrant says that, despite the figures being more or less identical to those produced in a similar report in 2006, Deputy Welfare Minister Jet Bussemaker still finds them "shocking". This autumn, she is due to present measures to counter sexual violence. "Policies will have to be targetted at youths," she tells the paper. At the moment, schools tend to accent 'safer sex', but experts believe more should be taught about respecting other people's sexual boundaries.

 

Government listening on Mexican flu jabs
Trouw reports that the government is launching a campaign to gauge people's support for a vaccination programme against Mexican flu. If all goes according to plan, mass vaccination will begin in October. A health ministry spokesman says: "We're getting advice from all sorts of focus groups and citizens' panels. We're also looking closely at what went wrong with the vaccination programme against cervical cancer."

The programme of cervical cancer vaccinations proved a debacle earlier this year, when less than half the target group of girls turned up for the injections. Rumours about possible side-effects had been circulating on the internet. An expert tells Trouw: "They should organise a discussion on the television and get the debate going. Then you can find out what various groups thinks about this vaccination programme and what emotions are involved."

Student housing scam worth 80 million
De Telegraaf today blows the cover on what it calls fraud on a massive scale perpetrated by students and their parents. It says the Labour Party believes more than 80 million euros in housing subsidies have been fraudulently claimed by students who were registered as living in digs, but were actually still living with their parents. In the scam, they simply register the address of a relative as their new accommodation and pocket the cash. One Labour MP believes: "It's mass fraud and is hugely on the increase. The fact that no one gets caught or has to pay anything back means it's becoming a normal thing to do."

Figures apparently show that, out of 250,000 students officially living in digs, at least 40,000 are registered fraudulently. The students receive a grant of 1920 euros per year towards the cost of living away from home. The MP complains that when cases come to light, during, for example, investigations into benefit fraud, the authorities are failing to prosecute the culprits and merely shelving the information.

France warns Dutch drugs tourists
"Dutch hash causes drugs explosion in France" trumpets today's AD. Underneath the headline, a subtitle warns: "French customs warn tourists about severe penalties". Apparently, French customs authorities confiscated a record 66 tons of drugs last year. More than half the heroin found came from the Netherlands and the amount of Dutch cannabis seized was over eight times more than in 2007.

The situation has led the French to begin a campaign informing tourists of the consequences of being found with drugs in France. Posters in French, English and Spanish will be used to warn tourists about the high fines and prison sentences for possession of and dealing in drugs. "We're not going to be targeting the Dutch," assures one official, "but people should know what risks they're taking."

Sorry we lost your 78 million
Finally, on an inside page, nrc.next reports that the new Provincial Executive of North Holland has apologised for the loss of 78 million euros. The money was invested in Landsbanki, Iceland's failed bank, and has been written off.

The Labour leader in the new provincial government apologised on behalf of the parties, including his own, which made up the previous administration. "Sorry North Holland," he said, "we should have taken more care. Give us the opportunity to make good our mistakes." 'Have we a choice?' is a reply that springs to mind.