Medical student convicted of raping another student escapes sentence as “He is young and talented” - Belgium

[IwantToRetire]

“It is undeniable that he passed the line of what is permissible. The man showed a lack of respect for the victim's physical, psychological and sexual boundaries. However, he is still young and has no criminal record. He is also a talented and committed person both in his professional and private live. By finding him guilty but not punishing him, he will be made to feel guilty and the chance of him reoffending will be prevented, without socially impairing the man”.

The conviction will not appear on the man’s criminal record. However, if he reoffends, he will be sentenced for this rape as well as for the new offence.

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2025/04/01/medical-student-convicted-of-raping-another-student-escapes-sent/

I know this used to happen in the past, but thought no Judge would think it okay to do this now.

Although rumours of jurists using this as a reason not to find a man guilty of rape still seems to be current.

Horrifying. He is not fit to practise medicine!

He is not remotely fit to practice medicine. And the last speciality on God's green Earth he should be let do so in is gynaecology.

Just saw an update - the rapist has been suspended while the university investigates. Good but there's not much to investigate - he's been convicted, ffs. His victim was a fellow student

It reminds me of the Judge who let Dahmer off for sexually assaulting the boy in the Sinthasomphone family. Dahmer was a young man with potential and a good future ahead of him 😬.

He later tortured and killed that guy's younger 14 year old brother, amongst others.

Good to hear about the university, and hopefully as everyone now knows who he is he will never be able to practice medicine in any sphere.

Also just came across this, so maybe justice will be done.

The Leuven Public Prosecutor's Office has appealed against Tuesday's ruling by the Leuven Criminal Court in a rape case involving a medical student.

The Public Prosecutor's Office stated on Thursday that it disagrees with the lack of legal consequences. The case will be retried by the Court of Appeal in Brussels. It is not yet clear when this will be.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/1518910/leuven-public-prosecutor-appeals-verdict-of-medical-student-rape-case

But scandalous that this happened.

Let alone of course the woman concerned.

To have this to still be ongoing.

How must she be feeling.

It's hideous to imagine firstly being raped, actually getting to the point of this being considered proven in a court of law, and then the decision being made for the rape to go unpunished, so that my rapist won't be prevented from becoming a doctor.

Rapists should be barred from becoming doctors. I don't believe there should be no route to redemption of some kind, but rapists should face severe social and professional consequences - not be protected from these.

What a message to send about rape.

This beggars belief, doesn't it? At least the prosecutors appear to be grounded in reality. I was going to say that at least it was unlikely here, bit the Scottish footballer rapist last year evaded prison, on the grounds that he wouldn't get a scholarship in America.

It's mad isn't it? If you have enormously important opportunities at stake, the onus is really on you to be careful about not raping people right? It's not like it's difficult to not rape people. I think these kind of judgements pander to the idea that poor men sometimes just find it too difficult to not rape us temptresses. I do wonder how different the judgement would be if he had raped a man? Would he be viewed as a sexual deviant then?

À gynécologist as well!

Ah, the talented rapist.

The only consolation is his name is in the news. I hope he never works a day.

His visa was revoked.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/alleged-teen-rapist-football-scholarship-30742924.amp

I thought that was the case, but wasn't sure. A micro win.

With a bitter laugh.

Tuttifrutticutiepie · Today 21:26

OK, yeah right lads. Here's how not to be a rapey bastard. Don't rape women. Like don't punch someone and steal their phone.

Christ, what?! I got mugged at Christmas... But that's not the same...

It's not just Belgium, here's a report from the other day from The Times:

https://archive.ph/iD5OI

GMC again.

Unfortunately, I don’t think we can assume that his university was naturally destined to take morally corrected action.

He was convicted on Tuesday (how Belgium’s legal system allows for a conviction but a blank criminal record, I do not know). It took his university until Friday - after mass protests in Leuven - to decide it would take disciplinary action against him.

He’s been widely named on social media, but the Belgian media did not print his name.

It feels like the whole system was ready to protect him.

Must people protest every lenient sentence for victims to get some form of justice?

I thought he did rape a man. But maybe I’m confused which case you mean.

The Belgian medical student raped a woman as did the Scottish footballer rapist. In fairness though, male rape victims will face different challenges in achieving justice, and my speculation was just that, not very useful.

A bit like the volleyball rapist in the Olympic team. They let him play because he was talented FFS

He spiked and raped her. And he's going to be a doctor. With access to anaesthetic drugs. And vulnerable patients. Great.

In fairness, this is Belgium so nothing to do with the GMC

But as a convicted rapist he should be expelled from medical school, barred from contact with vulnerable people in all roles (eg care work) and barred from medical licensing.

Don't blame the GMC they are no longer the judge, jury & executioner for errant medics. Now the GMC acts as prosecutor only. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) is the independent court that adjudicates. In this instance the MPTS suspended the surgeon for eight months but the GMC appealed to the High Court insisting he should be struck off, but the judge ruled that he should not be removed from the medical register but that his suspension should be increased by four months.

there is a change.org petition up to "punish Ruben Vanstiphout" (for that is his name)
i am baffled also how he gets a conviction, has to pay a fine but still doesn't get a criminal record. (i guess it's a kind of sort of suspended sentence because if he is caught and prosecuted again he'd be retried for this one. Which is very odd)

He doesn't have a criminal record.
A rape conviction and prison sentence would be a good place to start.