this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2024
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A senior official with the Dutch Olympic committee has insisted that a convicted child rapist in its beach volleyball team is not a paedophile, in an email seen by the Guardian.

A concerned British man who has lived in the Netherlands for more than a decade, wrote to the Dutch Olympic committee and called the inclusion of Steven van de Velde in the team “a stain on the Dutch national side”. In a reply the Dutch Olympic committee spokesperson wrote: “Steven is NOT a peadophile [sic]; you really don’t think that de Dutch NOC would send someone to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn’t a risk.”

There has been mounting public anger at the presence of the beach volleyball player Van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016. Earlier this week the International Olympic Committee faced calls for an investigation into how a convicted child rapist has been allowed to compete at Paris 2024. The IOC has said the selection of athletes for the Games was the responsibility of individual committees.

There has been mounting public anger at the presence of the beach volleyball player Van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016. Earlier this week the International Olympic Committee faced calls for an investigation into how a convicted child rapist has been allowed to compete at Paris 2024. The IOC has said the selection of athletes for the Games was the responsibility of individual committees.

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[–] ModernRisk@lemmy.dbzer0.com 214 points 3 months ago (3 children)

The world has going immensely nuts;

  • Genocide seems okay by most of the presidents.
  • Calling for justice is a hate crime and gets you arrested.
  • Racism and Fascism on the rise.
  • Raping a 12 year old person seems to be okay, doesn’t get you labeled as a pedophile.
  • Calling out that Zionism is in fact bad gets you the “antisemitic” name.
  • Quoting Hitler seems to be okay
  • Saying that you want to erase and nuke a whole group/race seems to be okay.

I’m seriously worried for the future.

[–] athairmor@lemmy.world 143 points 3 months ago (3 children)

All of those things happened in the past, too. Probably even more than now.

I think the difference, now, is that it gets called out a lot more. In the past, it happened quietly and people went along or pretended to not notice. Now, people are calling it out and the shitty people have to openly defend it.

[–] Thrashy@lemmy.world 45 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

With regard to this specific issue, you don't even have to go looking for cases of young women being discouraged from reporting rape and sexual assault allegations against promising young athletes, because "think how you could hurt his future prospects" -- examples are so plentiful that you can't help but find them if you spend any time reviewing sports news. It's really only been in the last decade or so that anybody has seriously pushed back against the idea that Johnny Sportsball's ability to score points for the local team is more important than the safety and bodily autonomy of women.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 62 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You mean like the rapist Brock Allen Turner?

[–] slingstone@lemmy.world 34 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Yeah, definitely like the rapist Brock Allen Turner.

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[–] nulluser@programming.dev 185 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Let's briefly set aside the fact that she was 12.

He was convicted of raping another person... period. That alone should disqualify him from representing his country at the Olympics.

Now back to your regular scheduled world wide publicity for Steven van de Velde, who repeatedly raped a 12 year old girl.

[–] meldrik@lemmy.wtf 67 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Yea, wtf is this shit? He’s a convicted rapist. The end.

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[–] GeoGio7@lemmy.world 26 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Well actually, If you set aside her age it wouldn't be rape at all, since it's statutory rape. She technically consented and did things herself. But of course since she's a child she can't consent, she was manipulated by someone much older.

My point is her age is very important and should definitely not be set aside.

[–] exanime@lemmy.world 40 points 3 months ago (6 children)

She technically consented

He got her drunk... Not only she was too young to consent, he made her drunk this invalidating any chance for valid consent even if she was much older.

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[–] Shadow@lemmy.ca 133 points 3 months ago (6 children)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_van_de_Velde

Under a treaty between the Netherlands and UK, Van de Velde was transferred to the Netherlands to serve his sentence. The sentence was at that time adjusted in line with Dutch law, and the charge of rape was substituted for that of fornication.[11] After serving a year of his original four year sentence, he was released from prison.[8]

So basically the Dutch think it's ok for a 19 year old to get a 12 year old drunk and rape her.

The victim would eventually go on to self-harm and once overdosed.

Some people are saying it ok because it was consensual, this doesn't make it sound very consensual to me.

Wtf.

[–] GoosLife@lemmy.world 70 points 3 months ago

Consensual? Kids cannot consent. Kids are confused, curious hormone bombs who are easily manipulated and tend to put a lot of trust in adults who sound like they know what they're doing. That's the entire point of why we place that responsibility on the adults, and not the kids who don't know what the fuck they're doing.

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[–] UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world 130 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Is everyone here talking about Steven Van de Velde the child rapist and peadophile? I heard he only served 13 months for repeated raping a child who he encouraged to get the morning after pill. She self harms herself now due to the guilt. Is it that Steven Van de Velde, the child rapist you are talking about?

[–] nightwatch_admin@feddit.nl 36 points 3 months ago

I believe we are indeed talking about Steven van de Velde, convicted child rapist and paedophile.

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[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 100 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Pedophile or not, it doesn't matter. He's still a child rapist.

[–] narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee 28 points 3 months ago

Being a rapist doesn't even need a qualifier, you're a piece of shit regardless.

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 93 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Van de Velde, who is now 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping the girl in Milton Keynes. He had flown to England to meet her in 2014 with full knowledge of her age, having met her on Facebook. He served 12 months in a British prison, before being transferred to his home country where he was released after a further month.

This does sound just a tiny bit pedoey.

[–] dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net 42 points 3 months ago

Yeah. It would be extremely questionable but still a little believable if the situation was “we met at a club that was supposed to be 21 and up and I thought she just looked young.” The reality is he traveled to another country to rape someone he knew was a child.

[–] kaitco@lemmy.world 24 points 3 months ago (5 children)

I’m sorry, but in what world does this not make him a pedophile?

He went to a location to have sex with a 12-year old. There are loads of people in ass-pounding prison right now for those exact acts as pedos.

He’s a pedo and a rapist. This is some asinine Brock Turner level nonsense. The Dutch should be ashamed to have even accepted him back home let alone send him to the Olympics.

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[–] exanime@lemmy.world 90 points 3 months ago

Well his Wikipedia page is the stuff of horror

In August 2014 van de Velde, then 19 years old, raped a 12-year-old girl he had met on Facebook who lived in Milton Keynes, England. He travelled to her home and, when her mother was out, gave her alcohol and then raped her several times at her home as well as near Furzton Lake which was nearby. The victim would eventually go on to self-harm and once overdosed. Van de Velde returned to the Netherlands after the rape, although he was eventually extradited to the United Kingdom and arrested in January 2016

After his release in 2017, van de Velde complained about "all the nonsense" reporting on his crime in the media, claiming that the term pedophile did not apply to him, without expanding further. At the same time he stated not yet having read any of the reporting he was criticizing. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) condemned his comments at the time, stating that his "lack of remorse and self-pity is breathtaking".

[–] modifier@lemmy.ca 79 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Okay, WHEW. I was getting worried that NL was going to let a pedophile rapist represent their country but it turns out they are merely letting a rapist of 12 year olds represent their country which, as we all know, is way better.

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[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 74 points 3 months ago

Somehow, I think the more important part is the child rape conviction. If the Dutch Olympic Committee would rather Steven van de Velde be known as a convicted child rapist rather then a paedophile, then I think the Guardian could accommodate that.

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 74 points 3 months ago (3 children)

He raped a 12 year old. So yes he is. Put him in the registry.

[–] RickRussell_CA@lemmy.world 34 points 3 months ago

He is on the UK Sex Offenders' registry.

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[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 68 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Van de Velde has consistently remained transparent about the case which he refers to as the most significant misstep of his life.

Raping a 12 year-old child is a misstep, people; relax! Yesterday I accidentally stepped in some dog poo; we're exactly the same!!!

This dude has no place in the Olympics. The Dutch standing behind him is disgraceful.

[–] volvoxvsmarla@lemm.ee 21 points 3 months ago (15 children)

I actually wholeheartedly believe in reintegration of convicted criminals in society. I also, maybe even more wholeheartedly, believe that pedophiles need to be open about it so that they can get the help to cope with their urges, and we should not be judgemental about it and stigmatize them ahead of time - the majority of SA offenders who attack minors are not pedophiles. You won't prevent a pedophile from assaulting a minor by yelling at him for his preferences alone.

Now, that being said, fuck this guy. A misstep? If this happened in 2016 he should still be serving his sentence and definitely not be back on the Olympic team.

Ok, I looked it up: it happened in 2014, so he was 20 then. The age of consent in the Netherlands is surprisingly high (16), so you cannot even claim due diligence or anything. (I am from Germany and over here it is 14, and I have known a couple of 14-18+ relationships, and I could have seen a case where a German 18 year old guy has sexual relations with a British 15 year old and gets in trouble because of this.) He was sentenced to 4 years and served 1. One year for raping a 12 year old girl when he was 20. Wtf? The judges should be ashamed. And as for the Olympic team, shame on them too. This guy should not be representing your country.

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[–] Lurkinney@lemmy.world 61 points 3 months ago

Are they talking about the pedophile Steven Van De Velde? The pedophile that likes having sex with children Steven Van De Velde? I think that guy might be a pedophile.

[–] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 58 points 3 months ago (1 children)

gotta love how the terfs defending trans women being excluded from the olympics are still saying that a guy who sa'ed a 12 year old girl is just misunderstood. maybe it's not actually about protecting children.

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[–] lepinkainen@lemmy.world 58 points 3 months ago (6 children)

Meanwhile a female equestrian was banned for hitting a horse.

Maybe she should’ve fucked it, that would be fine it seems? 🤣

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world 22 points 3 months ago

Let's not compare that, I'm happy she was banned. I know you don't want to say it was ok, but the comparison could be used to pardon her behaviour.

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[–] EnderMB@lemmy.world 54 points 3 months ago

Alongside the rest of the comments...imagine being an elite-level volleyball player, being told that you're going to represent your country, and then being asked to partner up with a nonce.

[–] PanArab@lemm.ee 46 points 3 months ago (17 children)

Okay Mr. Official, if he is not a paedophile then what is he?

[–] Microw@lemm.ee 32 points 3 months ago (2 children)

A rapist.

If I'm not completely mistaken, they do psychological assessment on inmates here in Europe. Since they insist he's not a pedophile then the assessment probably came to that conclusion. No underlying attraction to children, "just" a rapist who chose a child as his victim.

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[–] some_designer_dude@lemmy.world 31 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Just a child sex enthusiast, I guess?

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[–] croizat@lemmy.ml 28 points 3 months ago (2 children)

A lot of child molesters actually aren't pedophiles (a minority, even, in some studies). Children are just generally easy targets for abuse

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[–] lemmylommy@lemmy.world 43 points 3 months ago (1 children)

So it was not a pedophilic rape, just a normal one? For funsies?

[–] nightwatch_admin@feddit.nl 27 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You know what they say, “boys will be boys”

Utterly disgusting.

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[–] iiGxC@slrpnk.net 43 points 3 months ago (1 children)

"you really don’t think that de Dutch NOC would send someone to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn’t a risk.”

Given how often powerful groups cover up and protect pedos in their ranks, yeah I do think they would send someone who's a risk. It's not surprising, just disappointing

[–] eatthecake@lemmy.world 25 points 3 months ago (2 children)

They're saying rapists aren't a real risk, only pedophiles, that's disturbing to me.

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[–] Allero 41 points 3 months ago (2 children)

He might not be a pedophile, we'll never know, but he sure is literally a convicted child molester, wtf

[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 21 points 3 months ago

Oh, somebody already wrote that.

We don't know it he's a pedophile (strictly speaking that's not a crime), but he surely is a child rapist which is the problem.

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[–] Myxomatosis@lemmy.world 37 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Trump is already considering him for a position on his cabinet.

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[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 36 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Van de Velde, who is now 29, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to raping the girl in Milton Keynes. He had flown to England to meet her in 2014 with full knowledge of her age, having met her on Facebook. He served 12 months in a British prison, before being transferred to his home country where he was released after a further month.

So he was 19 at the time of rape. Sick fuck.

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[–] Emerald@lemmy.world 32 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The whole situation aside... what is up with the email skills of the Dutch Olympic Committee? This email is legit worded like a text message or a Lemmy comment

"Steven is NOT a peadophile; you really don’t think that de Dutch NOC would send someone to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn’t a risk.”

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[–] MonsterMonster@lemmy.world 25 points 3 months ago (2 children)

IOC officials seem to be a special breed of stupidity and naivety.

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[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 24 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Sounds like the official isn't a decent human being.

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[–] yesman@lemmy.world 22 points 3 months ago

I'll never get over the power of language. Here we have a man that raped a child and the controversy is over how to label the rapist.

No holy book in history has ever exercised more influence and control over society than the dictionary.

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