Raped girl, 17, dies by legal euthanasia (assisted suicide) in the Netherlands
A teenager who said she was raped by two men died by legal euthanasia in the Netherlands, it's emerged.
Noa Pothoven made a "sad last post" to social media last week in which she announced she would "die within 10 days".
She wrote in her book that she was first assaulted at the age of 11 and raped by two men when she was just 14-years-old, facts she hid from her parents because she was ashamed.
In her last post on Instagram, the young girl wrote that she had stopped eating and drinking and that her suffering was "unbearable."
She wrote that her decision was "final" and that she had not been alive for a while.
"I breathe but no longer live," she wrote.
A patient in the Netherlands may receive physician-assisted suicide if they are "enduring unbearable and unendurable suffering", according to the Dutch life ending clinic the 17-year-old consulted.
Originally the clinic said she was too young, according to Dutch news outlet de Gelderlander's 2018 profile of the teenager.
But legally minors are eligible under certain circumstances.
Pothoven wrote on Instagram last week that after many "conversations and reviews" it had been decided.
In 2017, 6,585 people died of euthanasia in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch Regional Euthanasia Review Committees' most recent report . Pathologists must legally report cases to the review committees.
Most of those people had untreatable cancer.
The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium are the only countries in the European Union that allow voluntary euthanasia.
Physician-assisted suicide is allowed in Switzerland, where even foreigners are allowed to travel to receive it.
In Finland, there is no penalty for physician-assisted suicide, but in most European countries the topic is hotly debated and the practise is illegal except for under very specific circumstances.
Dutch MP Lisa Westerveld visited Pothoven before her death and said she was impressed by the teenager's strength.
"I will never forget her. We will continue her struggle," Westerveld told Dutch media de Gelderlander.
The teen was a self-described "mental illness warrior".
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Assisted suicide of a 17 year old girl?
Unthinkable.
This is just so sad. No words.
I read about this, this morning and was totally mortified. I think that this is totally unthinkable, and the fact that they allow this in the Netherlands makes me wonder about them as a nation.
BTW, I checked it out and last year about 6.700 people did this in the Netherlands.
Their mental health care must be in need of help.
I am thinking that this option is too available because she likely had PTSD that can be treated with a combination of medication and talk therapy.
I totally agree. To me, it looks like they just couldn't be bothered wasting resources on her. How utterly depressing a story. I feel so badly for her mom.
She choose this and it had to be approved by multiple doctors IIRC. She wasn't pushed to do it because they actively encourage other possibilities. I'm not sure if her Dr wasn't knowledgeable or maybe she just gave up. There are many people who are helped by marijuana, which is legal in the Netherlands. The system failed this teen and something should be implemented to prevent it from happening again.
I support euthanasia but I think that you should be more than 21 unless it is a cancer or other diagnosis that is terminal.
Was she even in the right state of mind to make a sound choice?
How hard do they encourage? Did they at least attempt to give her psychiatric, and medication to try and treat her condition?
Definitely. I think we can all agree on that. You don't just give up on a physically healthy teen until all options are exhausted.
I can agree with euthanasia in cases of terminal illness (cancer, etc); or to end physical/emotional pain when the diagnosis is terminal. But, when it comes to mental illness in a physically healthy individual all options should be exhausted before euthanasia is allowed.
I agree, but I'd take it further. If I get diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's, I'll likely end my life. I do not consider "living" with Alzheimers to be a real life and I don't have any desire to live that way. And it could take 10 years for me to die. No, thank you. It would be nice to have a legal option, but if there isn't one, I will take care of it myself while I'm still capable of it. At least I think I will - you never know, the will to live can be strong.
I doubt it, but that is part of what makes PTSD what it is. You just want the memories and the pain to stop. I also have PTSD because of abuse. Some days are hellish.
I agree with you. There are many different medications between anxiety meds and anti-depressants that can help PTSD. marijuana is legal in the Netherlands and it helps many survivors of abuse. The system failed her and it needs to be fixed before it happens again.
Put a notarized statement in your will now and make sure that your Drs know about it. It's known as a living will.
It would be murder if they did it when I wasn't terminal, even in a state with legal euthanasia. My living will does state that if I have dementia or Alzheimers and decide not to eat, I am NOT to be force fed, via IV or any other method. But that's about all I could do.
I wrote a much longer statement that likely would end up before a judge would make that decsion if I could be permitted to die. It is far from perfect but I like the idea that the words are put on paper, even if it would be a legal matter before I could be permitted to die when I cannot speak or am unconscious.
I agree with you Perrie. This is of course aggravated monumentally by her age. How can a 17 year old truly and meaningfully know she wants to die? She doesnt have the life experiences to weigh such a decision. I just lost a lot of respect for The Netherlands.
Ditto. I find this whole story just beyond the pale.
The article states that most of those had incurable cancer.
Non the less I think that this situation is extreme and I find it difficult to accept this as a solution for this young girl.
I have no issue with that, Kavika. I wouldn't want to lie in a bed waiting for death in pain.
But how can one be evaluated to die when they are suffering from mental health disease?
I agree with you and others about this but it shouldn't be about age as most countries (including ours) allow military enlistment and the right to vote plus other significant choices as 18 year old adults. Where do we draw the line ?
I defend the right of euthanasia by choice, but I don't think that she was given good advice or proper mental health treatment before she chose to end her life.
I support the right to assisted suicide for those with terminal illnesses, but this... No.
She was too young. She could still have had a good chance at recovery and a fulfilling life. This was a life thrown away, for what may well have been a temporary condition which she might have overcome.
This is the cure for PTSD in The Netherlands? End it all? What the hell kind of system is that?
I guess it saves money on mental health, eh? They found a way to make socialized psych medicine cheaper. Just have the patients kill themselves. Brilliant.
/s
In the US the insurance companies deny effective care to save money and the patients kill themselves with guns, alcohol or drugs. Is that a better way for you?
I didn't say I was comparing anything.
Your previously said this,
You are trying to condemn their heath coverage by insinuating that she was pushed into euthanasia as a way for the government to save money. The problem with that idea is that you have no proof of it and she had to fight to get approved to end her life.
In the US effective mental heath coverage is often denied in favor of just medication or sent to someone who is unqualified but cheap. I know the system very well and for the most part it is a sick joke.
What do you care? Did you create it? There isn't a healthcare system in this world I'm not prepared to criticize.
No, I don't think she was pushed, but she was certainly encouraged just on the grounds that it's legal. Does that mean I think someone in government wanted her to kill herself? No, I don't have any proof of that.
You missed the sarc tag I guess.
I would say that by definition that's probably not someone in a mental state to be making decisions like that, to say nothing of her age.
Where in the world is there a cure for PTSD?
There is no cure but there are various treatments to help you cope and live with those memories.
There are very effective treatments. For terminal cancer, not so much. In general, the prognosis for people suffering from PTSD is excellent given the right treatment. No need to just go kill yourself.
For some people there is no coping.
This girl was raped as a child. How does a child make sense of men who rape when we adults don't understand it...or survive rape well?
There are ways of help, but I don't want to go into them in public because my situation is similar.
You have my utmost sympathy. I am so thankful that the available treatment has allowed you to cope. However, not everyone has the same amount of resilience, nor should anyone expect them to.
I believe the key to this situation is a shift in societal attitude in regards to rapists. We absolutely must quit putting the victims on trial. The victims are not at fault in any way. This cannot be emphasized enough. We should never ask what the victim was wearing. In fact, why did we ever? Why are rape victims made to feel even one iota of shame for being raped? Do we put bank tellers going about their daily routine on trial because they were targeted by a bank robber?
The rapist is a mentally ill person who needs to be removed from society until it can be determined that they are sane enough to never rape again. If that had happened in the following case, there is a good chance that the 9 year old victim (in the link below) might be alive today.
Rape and sexual assault have become commonplace in Europe, an everyday event - the perpetrators believe they're entitled. Sweden has been called the Rape Capital of the World. I'm extremely concerned about the safety of my stepdaughter who is studying at a university in Germany. I have told her that she cannot go out alone, ever. I'm counting the days when she can come home with her degree.
Rape and sexual assault are commonplace in the United States, an everyday event.
In fact, every 92 seconds an American is sexually assaulted in the United States.
The number of rapes in the Nordic countries is higher because women report them instead of blaming ourselves. You should stop reading Gatestone nonsense.
Is what you quoted from Gatestone Institute or from a source more to your personal bias?
She's probably just tired of you sourcing from a known anti-Muslim publication.
It is from a resident of Norway when he was asked about the supposed Nordic rape culture.
What is it about John Bolton that you find appealing?
Not anti-Muslim, John, anti-Islamist, anti-terrorist, pro-Israel and I assume just plain conservative. There seem to be a lot of Muslim authors on that site with whom I agree. I guess that's all contrary to YOUR beliefs.
Please point out to me where I have ever said that I find John Bolton appealing - because perhaps old age dementia has clouded my memory.
If John Bolton isn't appealing to you then why do you constantly post articles from Gatestone?
John Bolton doesn't write the articles. He doesn't have some kind of disease that makes everything written by many authors - A LOT OF THEM MUSLIMS, poisonous.
I suppose you are of the opinion that Europe has not changed because of the migrants - and if so I wonder why so many others are abandoning their ancestral homes and leaving Europe. Out of curiosity, what is the source and name of the author who wrote what you quoted?
I never said that he wrote them. He publishes anti-muslim articles from other sources.
John Bolton and Gatestone portray a very biased picture of the subject.
Okay, MBFC rates Gatestone as Right bias, and rates The Intercept as Left bias - balance, eh? - so you go ahead and publish your Left bias articles and I will continue, in fact to make you happy, INCREASE my posting of Gatestone articles.
Rape has lifelong consequences for the victim that seem to be largely ignored or downplayed by society.
Some rape victims turn to illegal drugs or alcohol to cope and others spend their lives stoned on the best drugs that modern pharmaceutical companies have to offer. Is drug addiction really what anyone calls "living"?
Being raped is something that the victim has to deal with every single day of her life. She did not ask to be raped. She most likely knew and trusted the man who raped her. This will make it difficult to trust anyone in a society that blames the victim on any level. A rape victim must be on guard for the rest of her life so she is not raped again. And most rape victims never report being raped to law enforcement so they are not put on trial themselves. I don't know how many rape victims never tell anyone so they aren't judged by their acquaintances.
This young woman is just another victim in a system that ignores rape victims, tells them to get over being raped, and blames girls for being raped in the first place.
I am crying because another rapist claimed another life. Maybe this time it will make a difference in societal attitudes about sexual predators, but after reading the preceding comments, I am not at all hopeful.
Below is a long list of sexual assault hotlines and resources for victims of rape.
Wouldn't it be more beneficial to everyone to quit shielding and protecting sexual predators in the first place?
We need to put rapists on trial instead of their victims.
Being raped is not a disease that can be cured.
Headline was changed on the article.
I copied the headline from the news aggregator Memeorandum
Reporting now that the initial reporting was wrong.
None the less, the child suffered. I don't understand why she was not hospitalized and given care.
ok.
She committed suicide by one of the methods available to her. She could have chosen to eat her way into dying to cope with her mental pain.
Unfortunately, suicide is not an improbable outcome for a rape victim.
Thank you for the update. I was too horrified to even google for more information.
Your linked article says she was hospitalized and treatment given, by a judge and her parents insistence because of her age at that time.
That was previous treatment apparently she died at home...
Why was she allowed to die, commit suicide by not eating or drinking? We don't let people commit suicide.
Why was she not hospitalized instead of just letting her die?
obviously I don't have the answer to those questions , and it has been a while since I was in Holland or Belgium, I can say I doubt that the cultural differences have changed that much in the 30 years since I experienced back then, I will admit to having a bit of culture shock about what was considered permissible there vs what I was raised with here in the states .
We may not let people commit suicide here that doesn't mean they don't do it . would it have been better if she stepped in front of a truck or a train instead of starving herself?
In any event it is a sad situation , that someone that young would feel that the only way out of their pain and misery would be to end their life.
Depression and anorexia are common with PTSD.
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Everyone Got the Dutch Teen 'Euthanasia' Story Wrong
Ultimately, we have an anorexic and depressed survivor of sexual assault, near legal adulthood, who chose to stop struggling and her parents who, after exhausting many options, chose to accept that. Whatever you think of that, please stop politicizing this private tragedy.
She was not accepted for euthanasia because she was too young. She ultimately starved herself to death.