r/nottheonion • u/DerangedUnicorn27 • 2d ago
Convicted child rapist qualifies for Olympics
https://www.newsweek.com/steven-van-de-velde-dutch-beach-volleyball-olympics-19184424.0k
u/Eggplantosaur 2d ago
He raped a 12 year old girl, admits that he did it, and only did one year of prison time?
What the fuck?
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u/DerangedUnicorn27 2d ago
Yep, true story. It’s appalling and disgusting. And a depressing number of people support him.
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u/osku1204 2d ago
Their whole argument is "Well he paid his debt To society, shouldnt he get a change?" calling getting a one year sentence In a dutch prison paying your debt To society is mind numbing.
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u/DelirousDoc 2d ago
TBF. The Dutch don't view prison as "paying the debt to society" but as the purpose of rehabilitating criminals and to only hold criminals where it is absolutely necessary for safety of the community. I could get behind this thinking.
That being said, 1 year is not enough time to ensure this man is not a danger to the community in my opinion.
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u/x3tan 2d ago
Doesn't help that even following "rehabilitation", he's not because he doesn't seem to have any remorse about it. He apparently groomed her from 10years old.
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u/TherealOmthetortoise 2d ago
I’d have to agree. Rehabilitating is a great concept and has a lot to recommend it… but not for this type of crime.
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u/Draconic64 2d ago
So do you believe in rehabilitative justice? Everyone online I see supporting it online alaways put an exception to it, like "I think we should have rehabiltative prisons, but not for pedophiles" but what makes that crime in particular not elogible for rehabilitation
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u/AMaleficentFox 1d ago edited 1d ago
You'll quickly find that people "believe in rehabilitative justice" until they come across an offender that actually did something really bad and thus severe enough to actually need rehabilitation. Sex crimes, assault, murder, you name it. "There's no coming back from that," they say from the country with the highest recidivism rates on Earth, with the highest incarceration rates on Earth by an enormous margin. We call ourselves the best country on Earth and literally everyone else has figured this out better than we have. The general populous is much safer AND much fewer of them are in jail. We live in a country more dangerous than Yemen, barely beating out Zimbabwe in lower homicides per capita.
The communist in me says that this is a symptom of liberalism, but even liberal Europe has figured this out orders of magnitude better than the US. It's an American pathology.
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u/LanaDelHeeey 2d ago
Not to defend him or anything, but what is objectively the right amount of time to ensure he isn’t a danger? Like will 5 years vs 1 year really make a difference? And how do we know that?
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u/Enticing_Venom 2d ago
Perhaps start by getting to the point where he can admit he did something wrong, instead of making excuses for himself in the press?
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u/ELpork 2d ago
Clinical/criminal phycologists would probably have an idea when it comes to timeframes. One of the reasons it's a shame mental health and prison have become homogenized in this country.
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u/Lorn_Muunk 2d ago
In a dutch prison
Nah, according to his wiki he was extradited, tried in front of a UK court and served 1 out of 4 years of his sentence in a UK prison
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u/Benbejamminboy 2d ago
Tbf he was allowed to return to the Netherlands to complete the rest of his sentence in a dutch prison. He just subsequently got let out of that prison.
The 4 years sentencing was far too little in the first place for what he did + the fact that he shows zero remorse for it... absolute shambles
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u/WolfetoneRebel 2d ago
Not a great look for the Dutch, their judicial system, penal system, or Olympic committee. Whether or not it’s “the rules” or not, enough people should have been kicking off well before now. Shameful.
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u/Wonderful_Net_9131 2d ago
Germany is equally as bad when it comes to sentences for child rapists. It's so strange. It's the one crime everyone (including other criminals) can agree on is one of the worst, yet they come off that lightly.
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u/artavenue 2d ago
„fun fact“ about germany: sex with a 14 year old is legal. A lot of things are also based on „old“ christian times when couples married with 16 or something.
The singer of rammstein did that, slept with the bff of his own daughter on their vacation. But it was legal so it is not part of any of the news story his cases had.
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u/Wonderful_Net_9131 2d ago
Depends on the circumstances. Only legal of the child is deemed mature enough and No other factors are at play. Still wrong, but hopefully not that big of a deal in practice as you can convict predators by other means.
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u/mileswilliams 2d ago
The Dutch system focuses on rehabilitation not punishment. I think longer would have been appropriate.
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u/WolfetoneRebel 2d ago
Regardless, there is no way people should accept someone like that representing them on the world stage.
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u/petit_cochon 2d ago
People go into therapy longer for slapping a classmate at school. Christ.
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u/Taolan13 2d ago
regular violence is worse than sexual violence just look at comparative sentencing.
woman kills her abusive husband or boyfriend in self defense and gets 20 years no parole despite an otherwise clean record.
a repeat offender on their sixth victim under 18 gets two years and probation.
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u/starfire92 2d ago
As someone who was groomed and molested/SAd by my male cousin between 10-11 and he was 16 I never told anyone in my family because I was scared it would be overlooked like this. I was scared people would say I wanted it because I didn’t object because in reality I didn’t object. I willingly followed him into the bathrooms when he would take me and willingly went with him but had ZERO understanding of what was going on. He once put his hands inside me and all I kept saying was ow this hurts and I didn’t know what it was. I remember when I saw him fully aroused for the first time I yelled, I was scared. I didn’t know the male body worked that way and yet I somehow thought I was wrong for hurting his feelings. I felt some type of need to not make him upset. That I’d be wrong for rejecting these advances. I didn’t know I was allowed to say no and I didn’t how this was inappropriate but I knew it had to be a secret.
As soon as I got older and understood the severity of what happened I was ashamed all my life, it’s a trauma that has held me back mentally and in intimate spaces with consensual partners. My feelings went from acceptance as a child, shame in my teens, fear as a young adult and now anger. I thought I could hide it and pretend it never happened and I thought it was my fault.
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u/mamapizzahut 2d ago
I would really like to hear someone Dutch explain this. In the US rape of a minor is one of the most serious imaginable offenses. Clearly there is a different approach there - how do they justify it?
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u/labrat420 2d ago
In the US rape of a minor is one of the most serious imaginable offenses
Depends on how much money you have. The Dupont heir got zero jail time for raping his 3 year old daughter
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u/Plintsje058 2d ago
Im from the netherlands and i realy cant explain it, the sentence for child abuse is very low if your under 18 (if im remeber the story right he was) even if youre above 18 its kinda low. Ive never seen this story in the media to be honest and im shocked to read this.
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u/The_Enolaer 2d ago
Obviously it's a serious crime in the Netherlands too, but do realize he was only convicted to 4 years in the UK so the "low sentencing", if you will, starts there. Without knowing all the facts about this case, and really none of us do other than the judge and the ones directly involved, I believe there were a few reasons combined: - Admitted immediately what he did - The girl "consented" and admitted she wanted this (I know...) - Experts claimed a very low risk of a repeat offense
Now, don't shoot the messenger. It still doesn't sit well with me and 1 year is bizarre to me, but 4 years seems fair in this case. Why the UK agreed to these terms, you have to ask them.
That being said, I'm a strong proponent of second chances. But to me, a second chance does not necessarily mean you can continue your life like nothing happened. And it certainly does not mean representing our country at the Olympics. It is absolutely disgusting that they value winning over morale. I've contacted the Dutch Olympic organization and the volleyball association to let them know how disgusted I am, but they won't care. They released their statements already and will just deal with any fallout.
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u/ACoconutInLondon 2d ago edited 2d ago
but 4 years seems fair in this case
When researching whether this was a fair number, I found that the average sentence for just rape around this time was 10 years with 2/3 off those convicted being sentences to 7 or more years.
If that's the case, how is 4 years for child rape fair?
Also, the judge is quoted as saying that he didn't groom the victim, which would have been used as an argument for a lighter sentence. But also is crazy.
Judge Sheridan said it was not a case of sexual grooming
Edit to add links
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u/ComradeBirdbrain 1d ago
I believe it was less because the judge, and his own lawyer, believed his career was shot into oblivion. Clearly the Dutch had other plans and he’s back in the limelight internationally rather than nationally.
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u/teh_fizz 1d ago
I fucking hate sports celebrities. Fuck his career. The 12 year old girl’s life is fucked now but this guy’s “career” is hurt so only give him 4 years.
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u/VoidLookedBack 2d ago
He must be friend of Convicted Sex Offender Brock Turner then, they got the same slap on the wrist for their despicable behavior.
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u/Whateverman9876543 2d ago
Brock Allen Turner who now goes by Allen Turner to avoid people recognizing him as a rapist
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u/110397 2d ago
Bro couldn’t even change his name to something more unrecognizable
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u/NGEFan 2d ago
Maybe he did and nobody noticed. I haven’t seen Allen Turner near me lately
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u/VespaRed 2d ago
Just checked. Brock Allen Turner hasn’t moved.
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u/ewyorksockexchange 2d ago
Most (maybe all?) jurisdictions in the US will not allow you to change your name if you have been convicted of a felony and/or are doing so to escape notoriety of a crime for which you were convicted.
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u/110397 2d ago
This actually makes a lot of sense. But if I were him, i would choose to go by something other than his middle name
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u/pootzilla 2d ago
You mean the convicted rapist Brock Allen Turner, who goes by Allen Turner now and (as of a year ago at least) still resides in Ohio? That rapist Brock Allen Turner?
Bet you're right.
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u/ViolentBee 2d ago
Yes the rapist Brock Allen Turner, who likes to be called Allen Turner now. I believe the convicted rapist Brock Allen Turner AKA the rebranded Rapist Allen Turner still resides in Ohio
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u/FTWStoic 2d ago
But Brock Turner, the guy who is a convicted rapist and now goes by Allen Turner, did not qualify for the Olympics.
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u/ViolentBee 2d ago
No the convicted rapist Brock Allen Turner is no Olympic athlete, just a rapist that now goes by Allen Turner
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u/AtotheCtotheG 2d ago
I don’t think convicted rapist Steven van de Velde and convicted rapist Brock Allen Turner are likely to know one another, but it’s fair to say that, were they (Steven van de Velde and Brock Allen Turner, the convicted rapists) ever to meet, they might have a few things in common to bond over, such as the fact that both of them are convicted rapists who went largely unpunished. Good observation!
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u/God_Damnit_Nappa 2d ago
I know this site loves this stupid circlejerk but I have no idea why no one mentions judge Michael Aaron Persky, the man who let Turner get away with rape.
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u/godofpumpkins 2d ago
I saw that on his wiki page but no reasons were given on why his sentence was shortened. Anyone know why?
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u/Zoefschildpad 2d ago
He was resentenced under Dutch law and received a shorter sentence. I can't find a Dutch language source for it either. I think it has to do with the fact that what he did wasn't rape under Dutch law because rape requires force, but I'm not sure. That law is changing as of next Monday, coincidentally.
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u/Jaspador 2d ago
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u/stormyweather117 2d ago
It's crazy how much that article downplays and talks around what he did. It also slightly paints him as a victim for having to "relive" his past while so many people support him.
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u/BarneyBent 2d ago
I'm of the somewhat polarising view that prison sentences should be as short as required to rehabilitate the criminal, so without knowing the details, I'm willing to say fine, maybe a year and his therapy is sufficient. I don't know that, but sure, for the sake of argument let's assume it is.
But he's now representing his country on a very public stage. Even if he is totally rehabilitated, even if he has been an exemplary person who poses no risk to children on an ongoing basis, what is this saying to women watching, particularly in the Netherlends? Some things should bar you from representing your country for life, and grooming and raping a 12 year old girl is one of them.
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u/CrazyGunnerr 1d ago
The problem is that there are no effective rehabilitation methods here. Sexual attraction doesn't change.
He was going after her when she was 10, made a fully conscious decision to keep talking to her, to book a ticket, fly to the UK, meet her, then rape her.
This isn't some fucked up story about a guy who got a little to drunk, thought she was older and messed up. This is the story of a grooming pedophile who did this for years. This does not change. You don't rehabilitate from this.
If he had kids and lived near you, would you let your daughters play there? Do you think he wouldn't be lusting over them?
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u/Dan_G 2d ago
He was originally sentenced to four years by the UK. Four years for raping a 12 year old.
Fortunately, the Netherlands heard that and went "FOUR YEARS?! That's outrageous!"
Unfortunately, the next sentence was "That's way too much, we're going to shorten that."
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u/DelirousDoc 2d ago
1 year was also my first jaw-dropper. The original sentence was only 4 years too. I get that there is an idea that mistakes made at 19 shouldn't be irreversible but this dude flew to another country and knowing have sex with a 12 year old after grooming her on social media. Come on!
1 year is not enough even for rehabilitation.
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u/PM_ME_COMMON_SENSE 2d ago
Raped her 3 times after getting her intoxicated. He belongs in a cell.
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u/mikeywalkey 2d ago
Pretty sure he started talking to the girl when she was 10, came over to the UK and raped her multiple times.
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u/mongoosedog12 2d ago edited 2d ago
A lot of court sentencing is about if it’s your first conviction, and if the judge deems you as someone who’s “repented” enough.
I also think this situation being nonviolent played into it. He groomed her (for two years apparently) then flew out to rape her. It was not violent, he didn’t drug her, attack her, etc
It’s still sick shit, and really shows how little the system actually does. This is also a sentence from a Dutch court, a place many would say has its shit together lol
Edit: I stand corrected, reports have mentioned he brought alcohol with him. That is drugging.
Also if it’s not clear, I don’t personally think this crime is nonviolent. I’m talking about how the court may see the case.
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u/Jojosbees 2d ago
His comments after his release are very revealing: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-39292039
He has no remorse; he's only sorry he got caught and that there are consequences, especially now that he's back in the spotlight.
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u/mongoosedog12 2d ago
Gross. For a world that says we care about children we sure don’t look like we care about children
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u/MissSmokeyMannington 2d ago
If he groomed her for two years, that means he started when she was 10 years old! Come On, No Way he should have sponsors and be in the Olympics!
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u/kalirion 2d ago
But he said it was "the worst mistake of his life", so he's obviously repented enough! /s
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u/SnooStrawberries620 2d ago
You can’t change Dutch law but you can certainly affect Dutch child rape apology sponsors
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u/ObjectiveLopsided 2d ago
I read that Steven van de Velde gave the 12 years old alcohol before raping her.
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u/Alert-Wonder5718 2d ago
A 19 year old sticking his dick in a preteen is always violent you sicko. The Dutch do not have their shit together if this is how their culture refuses to protect the most vulnerable in society.
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u/timeforitnowright 2d ago
This guy is a true predator. Even made her think contraception is for her to worry about and that’s how he got caught. Sick as sick can be.
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u/Xolei 2d ago
I need someone to explain me why he only got 1 year in prison? I feel like that is the biggest issue here
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u/TheGodEmperorOfChaos 2d ago
Under Dutch Law definition:
Rape must involve physical force, threat or coercion. The Netherlands will become the seventeenth country out of 31 European states analyzed by Amnesty International to recognize that sex without consent is rape. The act will come into force on July the 1st 2024.
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u/CheruthCutestory 2d ago
But it happened in Britain.
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u/TheGodEmperorOfChaos 2d ago
Extradition is a legal process that allows the transfer of a person suspected or convicted of committing a crime from one jurisdiction to another. An individual might be extradited for the purpose of criminal prosecution or for the carrying out of a custodial sentence or detention order.
It happened in the UK, he was later arrested, extradited to the UK, where he was tried, convicted and sentenced to four years in prison. He was transferred back to the Netherlands and resentenced under Dutch law.
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u/westbee 2d ago
Could you imagine?
Go to UK, kill a hundred people, they try you in court and sentence you to 500 years, then send you back to your country. Then your country says, "oh no killing British is okay - time served, let him go."
Britain - Pikachu face!
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u/Duck_Von_Donald 2d ago
Well, something like that has happened multiple times, its just not those countries that you send prisoners to anymore.
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u/Ayiko- 2d ago
Some countries would first arrest some random British guy on bogus charges, torture him once in a while and then propose a prisoner exchange. Once the prisoner arrives in his country, he gets pardoned and thrown a big victory party.
Well, Iran did just that with Belgian humanitarian worker Olivier Vandecasteele to exchange him for the "diplomat" Asadi preparing for a bomb attack on Iranian opposition members.
But I think we digressed a bit from the topic. Afaik the Netherlands didn't hire him to rape British children, but had differences in laws and sentencing for some crimes.
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u/insomnimax_99 2d ago
He fled to The Netherlands after doing it, so he had to be extradited.
The Netherlands will only extradite their own citizens if the other country agrees to return them to The Netherlands after conviction to serve their sentence there.
So he was extradited to the UK, convicted, and sentenced to four years (plus registering as a sex offender for life). He was then sent back to The Netherlands as per the extradition agreement, and re-sentenced according to dutch law, which sentenced him to one year.
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u/PM_ME_COMMON_SENSE 2d ago
Isn’t getting a minor drunk before raping them considered “coercion” ?
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u/ACoconutInLondon 2d ago edited 2d ago
He still was only sentenced to 4 years in the UK.
And most likely still would have only served half that, so 2 years.
Not much difference.
Edit to add link and info
For about 90% of such sentences, an automatic release is granted half-way through the sentence.
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u/voicebread 2d ago
He groomed her online, TOOK A FLIGHT to meet her, and then raped her while her mother wasn’t home
fuck this piece of shit, I wish him unimaginable agony
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u/DerangedUnicorn27 2d ago
Yep. But don’t worry! He gets the honor of representing his country at the highest level in sports. Priorities. /s
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u/basick_bish 2d ago
The Dutch about to get judged by the world on morality; It's Glorious.
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u/sparkyjay23 1d ago
Steven van de Velde, 29, and his partner, Matthew Immers, secured their spot in the upcoming Games, topping the Dutch rankings for the country's two men's beach volleyball spots.
Convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde.
Why is his name absent from the conversation?
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u/Lendyman 2d ago edited 2d ago
The guy knowingly went to England to have sex with a 12 year old. Knowingly. This wasn't even a "She told me she was 18" situation. He was 19 years old and deliborately traveled to another country to have sex with a 12 year old. A 12 year old he groomed online so he could do it.
I get people make mistakes but I guarantee that if you ask any average 19 year old in Netherlands if such an act is ok, they'd tell you no. He was a premeditated preditor.
I don't get how the Dutch volleyball Federation can just shrug their shoulders and act like it doesn't matter. Yes, it was 10 years ago and he did his time but do you really want this guy and what he represents to be the face of his country if his team wins a medal? Hell, even if they don't?
Blech. Sexual assault and rape should ALWAYS be a disqualifying factor. I don't care how long ago it was. If there isn't a rule, and apparently there isn't, there should be.
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u/ACoconutInLondon 2d ago edited 2d ago
He served a year. 1 year.
He was released in 2017 after serving one year in prison in the Netherlands.
-+-+-
Edit to add:
Per other comments, it was only 1 year because it wasn't considered rape per Dutch law.
However, even in the UK where the crime was committed and where he was charged with rape against a child -
He still was only sentenced to 4 years, and would likely have only served half that, so 2 years.
Not much difference.
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u/who__ever 2d ago
At this point in time, the relevant thing to me is that this threat to society is representing his country in the Olympics.
He will be housed with athletes of all ages, and will have plenty of opportunities to repeat his crime. Now with full knowledge that this actions will bring no real consequences.
He should be banned from the Olympics. “No convicted sex offenders in the Olympics” is a pretty reasonable ask.
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u/CanuckAussieKev 2d ago
He did an event in Thailand after conviction, and will be in France for the Olympics?
How on earth is he not considered criminally inadmissible to these places?
Just being caught smoking a joint in some instances can you make inadmissible.
What's going on here?
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u/knarf86 2d ago
France has been harboring known child rapist Roman Polanski for decades. He raped a 13 year old girl when he was 43.
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u/insomnimax_99 2d ago
France has a long-standing policy of never extraditing their own citizens. Quite a few other countries have laws against extraditing their own citizens.
It’s not uncommon for organised criminals to try to gain nationality from one of these countries so that if they’re ever found out, they can just flee to that country and never have to worry about being extradited. Turkish nationality is very popular with the people smugglers operating in the Mediterranean for this reason.
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u/Rin-Tohsaka-is-hot 2d ago
Yeah but Polanski is a powerful elite with other powerful people protecting him. This guy just seems like a random dude who's good at volleyball.
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u/DerangedUnicorn27 2d ago
Lots of people don’t see child rape as a problem apparently. There are a shockingly depressing number of people ok with it
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u/speederaser 2d ago
Where tho? I've never heard of anybody that's cool with it besides the rapists themselves which seem like a pretty small population, thankfully.
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u/beziko 2d ago
Catholic church is just perfect example. Thousands of rapes known for many years and people still would come to church and listen to the same priest that is a pedo rapist.
Literally in Poland so much pedos gets moved to other church as "punishment" instead of jail. People just forgets after short time.
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u/KeolXPr0n 2d ago
nobody, its literally the most looked down upon thing in all of society.
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u/ZoeyBeschamel 2d ago
from the shocking amount of child rapists who walk free, with copious numbers of people defending them, I'd say that its popular to pretend to look down on it, but when push comes to shove and someone you know or someone you love turns out to be monstrous enough to rape a child, most people seem to choose to tolerate the rapist.
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u/GodzillaUK 2d ago
I saw convicted and rapist, and assumed this was about convicted rapist Brock Allen Turner. But no, this is worse, fuck this scumbag.
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u/fuji_appl 2d ago
Yeah, this is about convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde.
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u/defusted 2d ago
Damn, I forgot about the rapist Brock Turner.
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u/mixmasterbk 2d ago
Don’t forgot, convicted rapist Brock Turner, now prefers to go by is middle name, thus making him convicted rapist Allen Turner. Convicted rapist Brock Allen Turner lives in Ohio btw
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u/Pointless_Lawndarts 2d ago
The list of bullshit excuses for this dude may be even worse than him walking around with hopes of him winning an Olympic Medal.
Why are people making excuses for him? Who gives a shit if he’s good at volleyball, he raped a 12 year old, WTF!??!?
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u/defusted 2d ago
I live near Philadelphia. When it came out that Michael Vick had a dog fighting ring in his backyard my eagles fan friends were like "we should tie him to a tree and let dogs attack him!" But as soon as he came to the eagles they all said "well I guess it's ok as long as he plays good football."
Sports fans don't actually care as long as the team that they have imaginary ties to do good.
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u/ssbm_rando 2d ago
he raped a 12 year old
He raped a 12 year old 3 times after grooming her for 2 years since she was 10
His prison sentence was ultimately shorter than the time he groomed her
The Dutch are way more fucked up than I ever realized, to want to send this psycho to the Olympics.
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u/ViioletIndigo 2d ago
https://support.olympics.com/hc/en-gb/requests/new
You can go here and submit your complaint. Someone posted this earlier in another sub but you could write something like:
Subject: Steven van de Velde is a Rapist
Body: Michael Phelps was disqualified from participating in the Olympics for marijuana usage, but Steven van de Velde has been convicted and served prison time for raping a 12 year old girl and is allowed to compete. Does this man reflect the values The Olympics organization upholds? Please let me know if this is the case, and then I will be a very vocal supporter of boycotting the Olympics on social media along with many others.
Or something like that.
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u/mrs_dalloway 2d ago
Sha'Carri Richardson was banned for weed either before or during the Tokyo Olympics . Which she smoked legally. In Oregon, July 2021.
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u/ViioletIndigo 2d ago
Yeah it’s horrible. Smoking some weed is worse than a child rapist apparently. Disgusting.
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u/NegativeZer0 1d ago
Or you can put a topic of
Just learned that the Olympics has shown their support for raping underage girls.
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u/Gotta_Go_Slow 2d ago
What a disgusting degenerate. Imagine being on the same Olympic team as this man. 🤮
I hope the crowd boos him as loud as they can.
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u/aviewfrom 2d ago
Honestly why does the rest of the team not play, boycott him so they are forced to drop him.
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u/PersonalApocalips 2d ago
The women's gymnastics teams should try to get a restraining order. The senior team has a half dozen below 18 along with the entire junior team.
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u/omgcatss 2d ago
That’s not how restraining orders work, nor how gymnastics works. A person has to directly threaten you personally, not just people like you. There are no juniors at the Olympics and a very small chance (though possible) that any of the under-18s make this particular team.
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u/trinitysite 2d ago
WTF is wrong with the Netherlands? Why would you reduce (an already too short) prison sentence for RAPING A CHILD to one year?
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u/jocax188723 2d ago
I mean, if the Dutch have decided that a rapist pedophile should represent their country on the world stage, that says a lot about the Dutch and what they consider societally acceptable.
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u/NerveRevolutionary79 2d ago
Letting a child predator be in the Olympic village with a multitude of child athletes can't go wrong, can it?
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u/Free_Tie177 2d ago
We got a convicted rapist running for president and millions of people are cool with it
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u/Former-Jellyfish3831 2d ago
This is utterly disgusting. A rapist should never have the opportunity to represent a country, nor should they be able to benefit from funded sports. I don’t care how good he is at sport, he failed at being a human being - he didn’t just sleep with an underage girl, he knowingly flew to the UK to do so. This wasn’t a guy who didn’t realize the age factor.
Quite frankly, a convicted rapist should not have any opportunities like this, but we all know that many go without conviction and carry on their lives without care while their victims suffer for the rest of their life.
Aside from all of this, that young girl will now see his face everywhere throughout the Olympic coverage, imagine how she will feel. That young girl will grow up with issues at the very least, all because a guy wanted to get his end away, and I bet she won’t be given anywhere near the opportunities he is.
I do not support the Olympic committee decision to allow this man to compete.
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u/byakko 2d ago edited 2d ago
So turns out the Netherlands only accepted that sex without consent is rape THIS YEAR: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/03/netherlands-historic-victory-as-dutch-law-adopts-consent-based-definition-of-rape/
I now understand Nigel Powers’ attitude towards the Dutch.
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u/junepocalypse 2d ago
So Sha’carri Richardson got banned for using a non performance enhancing drug but this dude doesn’t?
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u/gana04 2d ago
I thought it would be one of those this where he's 25 and had sex with a 17 year old (bad enough). Nope, He was 19 and she was fucking 12.
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u/Zoutkristallen 2d ago
I'm dutch and i hope our team will lose from embarrassment and i also hope that the other countries that play against him will wipe the floor with the dutch team and especially that p*do who thinks he 'made a mistake'.
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u/Eroom2013 2d ago
His teammates are cool with this? There has been no threats to quit?
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u/Morrinn3 1d ago
“It has been the biggest mistake of my life.”
Traveling overseas to drug and repeatedly rape a 12 year old isn’t exactly a “mistake”. It’s not an “oopsie” like accidentally dialing the wrong number, or hit Reply All to a work e-mail… He’s treating this like some unfortunate situation that happened to him, when it is a fucking crime he planned in advance and executed over the course of several days.
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u/KK-Chocobo 2d ago
I forgot the term for it but he committed the crime in uk. Why wasn't he tried and sentenced to prison in the uk?
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u/IcyChard4 2d ago
So this guy is still going to Paris, and the IOC ain't doing shit! Unbelievable!!
If I were the girls who are teammates with this creep, this pedophile, I'd stay away from him!
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u/Limp-Housing-2100 2d ago
Fucking disgusting, to the Dutch Olympic bosses and anyone who backs up this piece of shit.
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u/Advanced_Sun9676 2d ago
Don't people get removed from the Olympics due to being caught with Marijuana ? But somehow, a child rapist is fine. This is the type of shit where everyone in power should be removed since clearly the system is failing .
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u/missing_sock58008 2d ago
Hopefully this gains enough attention that the Dutch Olympic board or whoever ends up doing the right thing. Even if it is for the wrong reasons (to end the negative backlash and save face) I’ll still take it
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u/tay450 2d ago
When the right loudly declares that they want to murder pedophiles, they aren't referring to actual pedophiles like this man.
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u/Vicie007 2d ago edited 2d ago
You can tell by how all the Twitch #ProtectTheChildren streamers came out in support and defense of Dr. Disrespect.
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u/One_Individual4771 2d ago
What are you talking about? I've spent plenty of time on forums that lean heavily right and can say with certainty that the vast majority would no doubt be in accord with having this guy executed. Who are you even referring to? This is exactly the type of person they are referring to when they say that.
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u/ocarina_vendor 2d ago
Since his release, van de Velde has been actively competing.
"Yeah, well, staying busy with competition is how I avoid thinking about my other pass time, so..." - van de Velde, probably
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u/Outside_Green_7941 2d ago
Why not we have them running for president and 61 sitting in government positions, so why not one represents this country
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u/Smelldicks 2d ago
“Oh she was probably like 17”
girl was 12
WTF
he was 19
WTF
he groomed her since she was 10
WTF
he flew from the Netherlands to rape her
WTF
he was sentenced to only four years in England
WTF
he served only one year in the Netherlands
WTF
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u/thetisthiccboi 2d ago
Sigh another drag queen raping our children....... Oh straight white male again.
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u/Monctonian 1d ago
I know there’s a repost rule in place in this sub, but dear Mods, can we waive the rule for this specific article so that we can spread the word as much as possible about it?
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u/DSCholly 1d ago
Wild that any country would want convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde representing them. This guy literally plotted to abuse a child:
According to court testimony, he had flown from Amsterdam to the UK when he was 19 to meet his victim, a girl he knew was just 12.
Bro needs to be taken out back.
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u/kinglittlenc 1d ago
When will people realize Europe don't give a damn about these predators. Roman Polanski still out living his life like nothing happened. Disgusting child predators need to be in prison for the rest of their lives imo. These pervert never change
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u/sunshine10zeros 2d ago
Supposedly groomed her for two years, meaning it started at 10 years old… wtffffffff