Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who served time in prison after he was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl, won his second match at the Paris Olympics and received an even harsher reaction from the crowd on Wednesday than for his first match.

  • e$tGyr#J2pqM8v@feddit.nl
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    5 months ago

    I am not at all telling victims to shut up. You just made that up.

    Dutch courts haven’t found him guilty of rape, but did find him guilty of having sex with a 12 year old. That itself is more than terrible but calling it rape despite this fact is in fact a misrepresentation of what happened. Sure it was terrible thing that he did and I am not defending his actions at all. I am defending his right to participate in sports events and pleading against trial by media/public outrage.

    • eatthecake@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      His trial is over and he was found guilty. I am free to judge him as I please. There is no law that says the public must pretend crimes never happened once the sentence is done. The notion is absurd.

      • e$tGyr#J2pqM8v@feddit.nl
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        5 months ago

        Never asserted that notion. Of course you’re free to do so. I am just saying it’s self righteous and not helping any one.