No matter how much punishment is given to the perpetrator, not even the four-year sentence she was given, let alone the 13 months she served, can change this situation. What thoughts does she wake up with every morning? I hope it's calm, happy, and positive. But who knows?
The attention of the Paris Olympics is on a rapist. His name is Steven van de Velde, and he is playing beach volleyball for the Netherlands. In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, in the thumping bass of modern sports and in the grandiose ode to the French Revolution, a magnificent backdrop. That's because Dutch Olympic officials made a decision.
They said he had served his sentence. They said he was remorseful. They said he deserved his place.
Asked about the impression that they were appearing to protect child rapists, Dutch team spokesman John van Vliet said: “We are protecting convicted child rapists to ensure they can perform as best as possible in the events for which they qualify.”
If possible, try to read the words again.
“We're protecting convicted child rapists so they can play the best sport they can.”
On Sunday morning, under the first clear skies of the tournament, van de Velde and his partner, Matthew Immers, took to the sand court with the tower as a backdrop to a nearly full house. Huge Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall, Steven Mister will be making his Olympic debut… Van de Velde!” Sporadic booing spread throughout the venue, the most exciting venue for the Olympics, which takes place once every four years.
“I couldn't hear it,” Immers said. “I think the crowd was far away too, so that's why you heard a lot of cheering.”
In the first set, Van de Velde and Immers, now 29, were on the brink of victory, but their Italian opponents…
Come on. That doesn't matter. This guy shouldn't be here.
To briefly summarize the facts, in 2014, Van de Velde, then 19, met a British woman on Facebook. He flew to her town in northwest London, raped her, and then encouraged her to take emergency contraception. When she tried to take it, the clinic contacted the authorities.
The judge in the case sentenced Van de Velde to four years in prison, saying it was “clearly career-ending.”
He served a year in Britain before being extradited to the Netherlands, where he served a further month.
From there… leave it to the Dutch Olympic officials.
“Van de Velde has fully complied with all requirements and met all rigorous risk assessment criteria, checks and due diligence,” the Dutch Olympic Committee said in a statement ahead of the Games. “Experts have stated that there is no risk of him reoffending. Van de Velde has been consistently transparent about this incident, which he calls the biggest blunder of his life. He deeply regrets the consequences of his actions for those involved. He has spoken openly about the personal changes he has undergone as a result.”
Yes, it is possible to get a second chance and be rehabilitated. Van de Velde has a wife and children. He is free and living his life. Isn't that enough?
“I think Steven is a really good example because of what he is now,” Immers said in English after the first match. “It's a lot of fun playing with him. Let's let what's gone be. He has…” he trailed off, before van Vliet, standing next to him, said “Punishment.”
“The punishment,” Immers continued, “and now he's become really, really nice. To me, that's a big example of you growing up.”
Everyone wants growth, but should that include the right to ask for money?
“Children who rape others are affected for the rest of their lives,” the Brave Movement, an international organization dedicated to ending child sexual violence, said in an open letter about Van de Velde's case. “Abductors move on. Those who have been abused demand healing and justice. We need a world that puts victims at the center, not perpetrators.”
The International Olympic Committee said before the Games started that it was up to the Dutch to allow van de Velde to compete. Dutch officials clearly knew this would be a problem, because they kept van de Velde outside the Olympic Village and did not require him to walk through the “mixed zones” at each venue, where athletes have access to the media. He has not spoken publicly.
“We're here to create an environment where all our players can perform well,” Van Vleet said. “We knew this was going to be a unique situation, so we took some unique steps to make sure our players were in the best environment to perform at their best.”
The Netherlands has been selective about who it will and will not field for its country. DP World Tour veteran Joost Luiten, 38, was eligible to play in the Olympic men's golf tournament. He wrote on social media that the Dutch federation did not send him because they felt he had no chance of finishing highly. He took his case to court and won, but by that point International Golf Federation officials had given his spot to another player.
We know for whom the Dutch Commission will make special arrangements and for whom it will not.
On Sunday, Van de Velde and Immers lost to two Italian teams and they next face a Chilean team on Wednesday, so all eyes will be on them again.
But if the games are shown on television, forget about the competition. Think about the girl. Don't think about the boy who targeted her, who was only 19 years old at the time. Think about all the victims of similar atrocities who have been victims of similar atrocities just by hearing his story or watching him perform. For them, the Olympics are not something to celebrate. They are a reminder of their own suffering.
