Dutch Volleyball player who raped 12-year-old British girl qualifies for Paris Olympics

No longer identifies as a rapist, apparently.

'Olympian Steven van de Velde who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl says he 'doesn't identify with the teenager of ten years ago'.

https://x.com/SkyNews/status/1823795474543075677

I can't help but strongly feel that , had it been a 12-year-old boy he had gotten drunk and raped multiple times, both the UK and the Netherland's law would have been much harsher, as well as the opinions of the olympic commitee on the matter.

But it was "a girl", you know, she probably was asking for it anyway. And by the way, what was she wearing?

He started messaging her when she was 10.

That's horrific. Scum.

I agree with your last two posts @biscuitandcake

personally i feel them saying he’s not a paedophile is more predicated on the idea that he hasn’t raped any children recently basically 😵‍💫 And he’s had professionals “assess” him and claim his risk of reoffending is zero and therefore he’s no longer a paedophile 🤦🏽‍♀️ (Because it’s that simple right 🙄)

So in their eyes his grooming and rape of a tween was “in the distant past” and has no reflection on who he is now.

It’s all complete madness of course but that’s how they’re choosing to view it.

His team mates are fully supportive of him. His volleyball partner had been his partner for a while and actively choose to partner with him.

But even though it's normal for 10-12 year olds to have technically started puberty they still look like young children not teenagers or adults. He started messaging her when she was 10. I don't think any normal man, even a horny teenager would look at a ten year old like that unless they were seriously disturbed.

I've seen the "it's not technically paedophilia" argument pulled out when it's a 15 year old and it's kind of gross/pointless pedantry then. But I don't think it even makes sense in a semantic way when you are talking about men targeting 10-12 year olds.

Not criticising your point. You are probably right about their logic. But it's disgusting logic.

Sorry I meant they shouldn’t have to put themselves at risk of being chucked out of the team.

They're risking their dream to protect a rapist. This will be detrimental to their focus.

That's true - but there will be other team members who could play instead of him. There are always substitute players.

As nice as that would be, it’s unfair to put that on them. They shouldn’t have to give up on their Olympic dreams for him.

His team mates should refuse to have him in the team.

I'm glad he gets booed too @MrsTerryPratchett. He should be booed every time he touches a ball. He should be booed so that he loses. He should be booed so the men that play alongside him lose. He should be booed so that his country loses.

He should be booed because he raped a child. Child rapists deserve much more than booing and losing, but that's all we have atm.

I assume it's dodgy semantics (he's actually assaulting pubescent rather than pre-pubescent girls) and/or a total lack of understanding (that sex offending isn't one of the highest recidivism rates). Either way, ignorant arsehole.

And I'm glad he gets booed. He deserves much more than that.

Last night it was reported that an email sent by a a senior Dutch Olympic official insisted: 'Steven is NOT a peadophile [sic]; you really don't think that de Dutch NOC would send to Paris who IS a real risk? No, he isn't a risk.'

So what do you call someone that rapes a child. A twelve year old child.

Apparently the crowd booed him today.

I've been thinking about this.

Dreadful things happen in so many countries, but often the issues are complex and difficult to solve.

This was so easy. There is literally another player that has come out with the team incase someone gets injured. There is another player waiting in the wings. Another player who undoubtedly is very good.

And yet they chose the child rapist.

Not that it will make any difference, but there is a petition to have him disqualified: www.change.org/p/disqualify-convicted-child-rapist-steven-van-de-velde-from-the-olympics

Just unbelievable that he was let off after a mere 12 months

Not really, @Hairyesterdaygonetoday; as said before that's Dutch liberalism for you

The problem with adopting these extreme ideologies, and hanging onto them for so long, is that it can be very difficult to row back when the consequences become clear - which is at least partly why beautiful Amsterdam has become a cesspit of child abuse, drug pushers and more

Exactly. There's a difference between doing someone stupid that has a tragic and unintended consequence and doing something premeditatedly predatory with an intended victim from the start.

It takes a special kind of apologist to think travelling to repeatedly rape a 12 year old is some kind of childish accident.

@Temushopper

I wonder do you feel it’s disgusting to think 19 year olds are not always very mature and do stupid shit generally or just in this specific instance? What if they’d done something like driven drunk or procured drugs for a party and a 12 year old or young teen died as a result?

And frankly, calling the rape of a 12 year old "stupid shit" is such disgusting minimising that I'm hoping on reflection you're a bit embarrassed you used that phrasing.

@Temushopper

I wonder do you feel it’s disgusting to think 19 year olds are not always very mature and do stupid shit generally or just in this specific instance? What if they’d done something like driven drunk or procured drugs for a party and a 12 year old or young teen died as a result?

He raped a twelve year old. He travelled to another country specifically to do so.

The fact you're comparing this to drink driving or getting drugs and a twelve year old tragically dying an accidental death as a result is baffling. Incidentally, in all three instances I believe the perpetrator should go to prison, yes.

But comparing an accidental death to a KNOWING rape, of a twelve year old, is bizarre and I can't really see why you're doing it.

Well I hope the Netherlands understands the effect on their international relations. Yesterday someone was talking about an initiative there and I said, "great, but they did send a child rapist to the olympics". I will be saying that every time the Netherlands comes up in a good light for a very long time.

Don't stick your penis into twelve year olds.
Even very low intelligent people can understand that. Its very very simple. If you can understand not to stick forks into electric sockets, you can also understand that.

She was TWELVE.

The information on the case said he knew her age, but still travelled abroad to rape her.

The whatabouttery aside, I wouldn't be excusing a drunk driver who killed someone because he 'wasn't mature.' I'd also not agree with him representing his country in the Olympics .

He was an adult. He made the choice.

Oh god, those details are so much worse than I first realised. Just unbelievable that he was let off after a mere 12 months. That poor child.

The details of alcohol, repeated rapes and the appalling effects on the victim weren’t mentioned by the news sources I’ve read.

It’s like all the crimes committed by men but recorded, by news media as well as the ‘justice’ system, as being by women (because those criminals self-identified as women).

Protecting men from hurt feelings is always more important than justice or women’s lives.

Yes and what I actually said was:

“If he grew up super focused on elite sport he likely was pretty immature at 19 so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that he’s done something incredibly stupid and damaging impulsively without being a wholly wicked and irredeemable person. It’s also entirely within the realms of possibility he’s an abusive and dangerous man that has done the same again and just not been caught”

Not quite the same as what you’ve chosen to quote really. I wonder do you feel it’s disgusting to think 19 year olds are not always very mature and do stupid shit generally or just in this specific instance? What if they’d done something like driven drunk or procured drugs for a party and a 12 year old or young teen died as a result? Would anyone who thought they might grow up and do better also be a disgusting apologist?