In an effort to discourage sexual activities among nudist beach visitors, a town in the southern Netherlands has launched a new campaign. The municipality of Veere took action on Thursday by erecting modified signs along the beach, explicitly warning guests about the prohibition of engaging in sexual activities in the dunes, The Guardian reported.
The signages also emphasise that public sex is banned and highlight increased monitoring to combat any instances of “sexual meeting place activities” in the dunes, nature reserve, and beach.
“Project Oranjezon” – orange sun – was launched after several complaints were raised with the municipality, water board and local nature organisation about “sex acts carried out by naked recreationists”, The Guardian added.
“The dunes are hugely important to the local community and must be protected from undesirable behaviour that damages the natural environment and can disturb other holidaymakers,” Veere’s mayor, Frederiek Schouwenaar, told the Observer in a statement. “This is an important step to ensure public order and safety.”
No more warnings
Authorities have opted for immediate “verbal” enforcement and the installation of eight new information boards to reinforce their message.
The campaign has garnered support from the SGP, a conservative, Calvinist party which won the recent local elections. Perry de Visser, a spokesperson for the party, expressed gratitude for the mayor’s enforcement measures, highlighting the importance of addressing these incidents. De Visser stated, “Given the regular complaints received by the municipality and local organisations, we applaud the council’s decisive action to combat such misconduct.”
Naturist organisations also believe it is important to distance nude sunbathing from sexual activity. Karlien Lodewijk, a spokesperson for the NFN Open en Bloot (open and bare) naked recreation association, said: “Sex outdoors is not naked recreation, and people who come to sunbathe find it just as much of a nuisance as other people do. Naked recreation … gives a real feeling of freedom, and it’s very healthy to see real, naked bodies that are not photoshopped.
