To boycott the Olympics for allowing a rapist to compete

[Fluffyelephant]

I cannot believe in this day and age a convicted child rapist has been allowed to compete in the Olympics.

I know he was booed when he was competing but that's not enough. He never should have been allowed to compete in the first place and as a result I'm not watching any of the Olympics and encouraging others to do the same. I know that means other legitimate athletes will sadly be punished for the actions of one man and the decision makers for the Olympics - but what else can you do to send a message it's unacceptable?

For context, the volleyball player raped a 12 year old girl in Britain who he met online when he was 19 and was convicted in 2016. To add further insult to injury he only served 1 year of the sentence and seems to have gone on to marry a police officer!? He also has since said he's not a pedophile (although admits he did do what he was accused of) and that the media saying he is one is 'a load of nonsense'.

Unbelievable that this isn't considered more serious in a country like the Netherlands or by the Olympics itself.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cpd9e0r2dxmo

This.

I think man utd rapist was forced to leave his club but some countries don't seem to view rape in the same way so off to play at the highest level elsewhere. It's a dreadful crime and against a child even more despicable but many appear not to release the lifetime consequences on the victims.

He was sentenced to 4 years but only served 1 year because he was transferred back. So no he hasn't served his sentence.

The rape happened here.

Those that shook his hand or agreed to play with him have in my book.

I still think peadophiliia (sp) is a sexual
preference or orientation and not a 'disorder' like the latest 'experts' want us to believe. you can't be rehabilitated out of it either in my opinion.

The thing is, paedophiles are often not solely attracted to children. Many are married or in long term relationships and have families of their own.

I do think it's a disorder but one that cannot be cured. I do believe we need to have harsher punishments as I see people try to claim, in some places, that merely viewing or downloading CSA images isn't quite as bad as actually physically abusing a child, despite this very clearly creating a market for said abuse in the first place.

Many peodophiles marry to disguise it. People have always hidden their true sexuality.

He was a stupid 19 year old kid who slept with a girl he thought was 16. It was statutory rape. They had met online and the girl told him she was 16. He was charged because she was underage. The girl was upset that he was charged. I wish the media would distinguish between rape and statutory rape.

@justthefacts2

"The rape of a child was planned, calculated involving international travel and will undoubtedly cause his victim lifelong trauma, irreversibly changing the course of her life.
"As a society we have to start embracing a zero-tolerance approach to this heinous and costly crime.
"His lack of remorse and empathy for his victim is chilling and the allowance of his colleagues and the Olympic committee to promote him to a young audience as a sports person to look up to and therefore by implication is deeply disturbing."

His 12 year old victim self harmed and took an overdose, he served a mere 13 months. He also knew she was 12

I totally agree. The general principle, that serving a prison sentence is punishment enough, is irrelevant here. The rape was carefully planned and carried out. His showing no remorse (while cleverly ticking all the right boxes to appear rehabilitated and get out of prison sooner) must be further traumatising his victim.

He knew her age.

His lack of remorse for the victim but stating it was a mistake is enough for some to feel sorry for the poor chap hoodwinked by a 12 year old 😢 @factsareimportantplease... the enabling of men and excuses some come up with are unbelievable. I hope you don't have 12 year old daughters

A 19 year old is an adult. Secondly, he knew her true age before raping her.

Sure, but I don't believe that its a sexual orientation in its own right.

"Sure. I accept all of your comments and what he did was appalling. I'm definitely not disputing that. But the fact is the punishment in law was a jail sentence, which he served. By all means campaign for that legal sentence to be harsher if you wish, but a sentence is a sentence. Serve it and you have repayed your debt to society."

Apparently, you have failed to do your research, as he has NOT served his full sentence. His sentence was four years. Of that four years, he served less than half. I strongly urge you to think about any children in your life that you care about- whether they be your nieces, nephews, cousins, or even your own children, Do you feel that only four years in prison would somehow "repay" their debt to society? To "repay" the CHILD for their unimaginable hurt and trauma? To "repay" the CHILD'S family for their crimes? As someone who works in the world of Forensics, I can tell you with complete certainty that pedophiles are unable to be rehabilitated. The only ones who ultimately repay their "debt" is their victims, who will undoubtedly live with the consequences of THEIR crimes for the rest of their lives. Please, before you comment with such naivety on such sensitive subjects, do a little more research, or perhaps, even a little soul searching. Thanks.

She initially told him she was 16 and later told him she was only 12 (almost 13)
Judge Sheridan said it was not a case of sexual grooming, but added: “You were the adult, she was the child and until you recognise that you will remain a danger to young girls".

The court had heard how Van de Velde’s child victim had been consumed with guilt in the wake of his arrest and felt responsible for him being in custody.

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/would-be-olympian-jailed-after-flying-400-miles-to-rape-a-12-year-old-girl-in-milton-keynes-1256450

What goes wrong in people's lives that makes them desperately defend child rapists? This thread is really bringing them out of the woodwork.

Never has a user name been more ironic.

They started talking when she was ten and he was 17. It isn't clear actually whether or not he ever believed she was 16- it's hard to confuse a 10 year old with a 12 year old. Regardless, she told him her real age and they talked for 2 years until they were aged 12 and 19 and she told him her parents were leaving her unattended and he jumped on a plane, met up with her without her parents present, gave her alcohol and raped her 3 times. Then he told her to get the morning after pill and flew back to the Netherlands where he stayed until he was extradited.

Nothing about his actions say poor teenage boy who didn't know what he was doing. His actions were predatory and calculated. And she was 12!!! He knew her age, the Facebook chats where he was having sexualised chat with a minor showed that clearly.

They couldn't try him for sexual grooming/sexual communication with a minor. Because that wasn't a crime in the Netherlands so it would have broken the terms of the extradition treaty.

It's astonishing!

Why? The law says that a child is incapable of consent below a certain age because they cannot fully understand what they are consenting to.

At what age would you make it automatically rape regardless of 'consent'?

Not all disorders can be treated.

yes I don't believe you can be treated or rehabilitated from it

In the United Kingdom, statutory rape is a type of sexual offense that occurs when one person has sexual intercourse with another person who is under the age of consent. The age of consent for sexual activity in the UK is 16 years old. This means that it is illegal for someone to have sexual intercourse with someone who is under the age of 16, even if the other person consents to the activity.