╌>

Raped girl, 17, dies by legal euthanasia (assisted suicide) in the Netherlands

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  john-russell  •  5 years ago  •  58 comments

Raped girl, 17, dies by legal euthanasia (assisted suicide)  in the Netherlands
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.

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



Noa Pothoven: Raped girl, 17, dies by legal euthanasia in the Netherlands



A teenager who said she was raped by two men died by legal euthanasia in the Netherlands, it's emerged.

512






Noa Pothoven made a "sad last post" to social media last week in which she announced she would "die within 10 days".


The 17-year-old detailed her struggles with sexual assault, depression, and anorexia in her award-winning biography "Winning or Learning".


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".




Tags

jrDiscussion - desc
[]
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
1  seeder  JohnRussell    5 years ago

Assisted suicide of a 17 year old girl?

Unthinkable. 

 
 
 
pat wilson
Professor Participates
1.1  pat wilson  replied to  JohnRussell @1    5 years ago

This is just so sad. No words.

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
2  Perrie Halpern R.A.    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
2.1  epistte  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @2    5 years ago
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. 

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
2.1.1  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  epistte @2.1    5 years ago

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. 

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
2.1.2  epistte  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @2.1.1    5 years ago
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.

 
 
 
Ronin2
Professor Quiet
2.1.3  Ronin2  replied to  epistte @2.1.2    5 years ago
She choose this and it had to be approved by multiple doctors IIRC.

Was she even in the right state of mind to make a sound choice?  

She wasn't pushed to do it because they actively encourage other possibilities.

How hard do they encourage? Did they at least attempt to give her psychiatric, and medication to try and treat her condition?

The system failed this teen and something should be implemented to prevent it from happening again.

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 support euthanasia but I think that you should be more than 21 unless it is a cancer or other diagnosis that is terminal.

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.

 
 
 
katrix
Sophomore Participates
2.1.4  katrix  replied to  Ronin2 @2.1.3    5 years ago
I can agree with euthanasia in cases of terminal illness (cancer, etc); or to end physical/emotional pain when the diagnosis is terminal

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. 

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
2.1.5  epistte  replied to  Ronin2 @2.1.3    5 years ago
Was she even in the right state of mind to make a sound choice?  

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. 

How hard do they encourage? Did they at least attempt to give her psychiatric, and medication to try and treat her condition?

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.

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
2.1.6  epistte  replied to  katrix @2.1.4    5 years ago
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. 

Put a notarized statement in your will now and make sure that your Drs know about it.  It's known as a living will.

 
 
 
katrix
Sophomore Participates
2.1.7  katrix  replied to  epistte @2.1.6    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
2.1.8  epistte  replied to  katrix @2.1.7    5 years ago
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.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.2  seeder  JohnRussell  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @2    5 years ago

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. 

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
2.2.1  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  JohnRussell @2.2    5 years ago
I just lost a lot of respect for The Netherlands. 

Ditto. I find this whole story just beyond the pale.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
2.3  Kavika   replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @2    5 years ago
BTW, I checked it out and last year about 6.700 people did this in the Netherlands. 

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.

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
2.3.1  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  Kavika @2.3    5 years ago
The article states that most of those had incurable cancer. 

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? 

 
 
 
pat wilson
Professor Participates
2.3.2  pat wilson  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @2.3.1    5 years ago

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 ?

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
3  epistte    5 years ago

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. 

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
4  sandy-2021492    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
5  Tacos!    5 years ago

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

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
5.1  epistte  replied to  Tacos! @5    5 years ago
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. 

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?

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
5.1.1  Tacos!  replied to  epistte @5.1    5 years ago

I didn't say I was comparing anything.

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
5.1.2  epistte  replied to  Tacos! @5.1.1    5 years ago
I didn't say I was comparing anything.

Your previously said this,

This is the cure for PTSD in The Netherlands? End it all? What the hell kind of system is that?

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.

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
5.1.3  Tacos!  replied to  epistte @5.1.2    5 years ago
You are trying to condemn their heath coverage

What do you care? Did you create it? There isn't a healthcare system in this world I'm not prepared to criticize.

by insinuating that she was pushed into euthanasia as a way for the government to save money.

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.

The problem with that idea is that you have no proof of it

You missed the sarc tag I guess.

she had to fight to get approved to end her life

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.

 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
5.2  mocowgirl  replied to  Tacos! @5    5 years ago
This is the cure for PTSD in The Netherlands?

Where in the world is there a cure for PTSD?  

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
5.2.1  epistte  replied to  mocowgirl @5.2    5 years ago
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.

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
5.2.2  Tacos!  replied to  mocowgirl @5.2    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
5.2.3  mocowgirl  replied to  epistte @5.2.1    5 years ago
There is no cure but there are various treatments to help you cope and live with those memories.

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?

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
5.2.4  epistte  replied to  mocowgirl @5.2.3    5 years ago
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.

 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
5.2.5  mocowgirl  replied to  epistte @5.2.4    5 years ago

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.

A former Air Force service member currently in federal custody has been charged in a 25-year-old cold case in which a 9-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and murdered, St. Louis authorities said Wednesday.

Earl Webster Cox, 61, has been charged in the killing of Angie Housman, a 9-year-old girl who was found dead nine days after she disappeared in November of 1993, St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said Wednesday.

Angie's body was found in the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation area outside of St. Louis. She was naked, partially covered in snow, discovered by a hunter about nine days after she went missing. Her head was wrapped in duct tape, she was handcuffed and bound to a tree, according to Lohmar.

Her autopsy revealed the cause of death to be hypothermia. Angie had been left alive and struggled free herself of the restraints. Evidence suggested she had been starved, tortured and sexually assaulted.

A search of the Combined DNA Index System, a national database, led authorities to Cox, who had family that lived just three blocks from Angie's school at the time of her death.

Cox joined the Air Force in 1975 and was dishonorably discharged for sex offenses involving four children while stationed in Germany, Lohmar said. He was court-martialed in 1980 and served eight years at Fort Leavenworth.

At the time of Angie's disappearance, Cox had moved back to Missouri after a second arrest for child abuse in 1992. Cox pleaded guilty in 2003 to trying to entice a minor across state lines for sexual activity, and to charges for the 45,000 images of child pornography FBI agents found on his home computer, according to   court records obtained by NBC-affiliate KSDK .

In 2012, the court certified Cox as a sexually dangerous person was committed to federal custody indefinitely under the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act, according to KSDK.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
6  Buzz of the Orient    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
6.1  mocowgirl  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @6    5 years ago
Rape and sexual assault have become commonplace in Europe, an everyday event

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.

  • On average, there are 321,500 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States. 1
 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
6.2  epistte  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @6    5 years ago
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.

The number of rapes in the Nordic countries is higher because women report them instead of blaming ourselves. You should stop reading Gatestone nonsense.

First, let us point out that in the public opinion of Scandinavia (and Sweden in particular), these publications are by political extremists on the borderlines of sanity, and as such can be expected to use statistics "the way the Devil reads the Bible" as we say up here.

What we next need to understand is that the Scandinavian countries no longer have a native rape culture. At some point rape became Just Plain Wrong and everyone agreed on this. It is not that it entirely stopped happening, but no one made excuses for it anymore. No more "boys will be boys" or "what could she expect, going out dressed like that". Respect for other people's bodily integrity was the rule.

Then, as the article points out, we got immigration, on a fairly large scale, from completely different cultures. Some of these have a completely different idea on what is acceptable behavior especially toward women. When women act the same way toward these as they do toward Scandinavian men, the foreigners rape them, or at least that is how it is perceived by the women. So the women report the incident to the police. The man, if found, will insist that it was all completely consensual, and generally find it absurd and racist that he is accused of such a crime. He can't help that the women here are crazy about him, can he?

So that is basically how it works. The number of reported rapes is high in Sweden because Swedish women faithfully report when they are raped, rather than assuming that it was their fault. It is lower in Norway and Denmark because we have less immigrants from rape cultures and the natives are more wary around them.
 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
6.2.1  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  epistte @6.2    5 years ago

Is what you quoted from Gatestone Institute or from a source more to your personal bias?

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
6.2.2  seeder  JohnRussell  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @6.2.1    5 years ago

She's probably just tired of you sourcing from a known anti-Muslim publication. 

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
6.2.3  epistte  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @6.2.1    5 years ago
Is what you quoted from Gatestone Institute or from a source more to your personal bias?

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?

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
6.2.4  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  JohnRussell @6.2.2    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
6.2.5  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  epistte @6.2.3    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
6.2.6  epistte  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @6.2.5    5 years ago
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, President Donald Trump's incoming national security adviser, is the chairman of a nonprofit think tank that has often portrayed Muslim immigrants from Africa and the Middle East as an existential threat to the West.

On Friday, The Intercept detailed Bolton's history with the Gatestone Institute, which has frequently published news commentary and analysis highly critical of the presence of Muslim migrants in Europe.

The Intercept reported that Gatestone has occasionally published inaccurate and misleading information about refugees, including the false notion of "no-go zones" in parts of Europe where some believe local governments enforce Sharia law.
 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
6.2.7  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  epistte @6.2.6    5 years ago

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?

nogozone1.jpg?resize=560%2C372

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
6.2.8  epistte  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @6.2.7    5 years ago
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 never said that he wrote them. He publishes anti-muslim articles from other sources.

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?

John Bolton and Gatestone portray a very biased picture of the subject.

But one role that has received relatively little scrutiny is his work as chair  of the Gatestone Institute, a nonprofit that focuses largely on publishing original commentary and news related to the supposed threat that Islam poses to Western society. He has served in that role since 2013. (Bolton did not respond to an email seeking comment.)

A steady drum beat of vitriol is visible on the Gatestone website on almost any given day.

Just this week, the Gatestone Institute published stories claiming that the “mostly Muslim male migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East” in Germany are fueling a “migrant rape crisis” and that “Muslim mass-rape gangs” are transforming the United Kingdom into “an Islamist Colony.”

A steady drum beat of anti-Muslim vitriol is visible on the Gatestone Institute site on almost any given day.

The website routinely portrays Muslim migrants and refugees as an existential threat to Europe and the United States, claiming that immigrants bring “highly infectious diseases,” genital mutilation  practices , and terror  to any nation that accepts them. The site spent years sharply  criticizing  the Obama administration for having a “traditional Muslim  bias ” against Christians.

The lurid headlines, which are translated into multiple languages and distributed widely through Gatestone’s social media page and its partners in conservative media, are rarely supported by the evidence.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
6.2.9  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  epistte @6.2    5 years ago
 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
6.2.10  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  epistte @6.2.8    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
7  mocowgirl    5 years ago

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.

What experts say

Lisa Fontes, PhD , is a researcher, activist, author, and psychotherapist. She told Healthline that sexual assault and sexual harassment are both considered trauma. During trauma, the body releases hormones that help a person cope with the emergency.

“The body releases cortisol to avoid pain and inflammation, and it raises our blood sugar to help us flee from danger. Unfortunately, these physical responses become long-lasting for many survivors of sexual assault and harassment, contributing to poor health,” she said.

She explains sexual harassment is considered a “chronic stressor,” because it’s typically sustained over time. Child abuse and intimate partner sexual abuse also often involve repeated assaults, leading the survivor into a constant state of hyperalertness.

“Even a one-time sexual assault can produce long-term consequences as the survivor copes with intrusive memories that make her feel as if she is enduring parts of the assault again and again,” Fontes added.

Healthline also spoke to Elaine Ducharme, PhD, a board-certified clinical psychologist. She talks about the repeated trauma that occurs even with singular assaults.

“You have the trauma at the time the event happens,” she explained. “Then if it’s reported, there is repeated trauma because you are talking about it and dealing with it again and again throughout the process of pursuing charges.”

But even for those who don’t report or press charges, the trauma can continue.

“For people who have children, we often see a flare-up of trauma when the child reaches the age they were at the time the assault occurred,” Ducharme explained. “And even for women who think they are fine, years down the line they may see a movie with a rape scene and suddenly feel like they want to throw up.”

The broader impact of #MeToo

For many women, the recent #MeToo movement has proven to be empowering and healing. But for some, it’s resulted in having to relive those memories and experience the trauma all over again.

For those women, Ducharme suggests taking a break from media and considering a return to therapy.

“They may need to learn ways to manage the anxiety that can be triggered by some of this, and using mindfulness can be helpful,” she said. “I’m a huge believer in working with my clients to help them settle themselves down and be mindful and in the moment, trying to learn to stay present.”

“I don’t blame the #MeToo movement for the fact that we are hearing more about sexual assault these days,” Fontes added. “I blame the assailants and the years of cover-ups.”
 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
7.1  mocowgirl  replied to  mocowgirl @7    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
7.2  mocowgirl  replied to  mocowgirl @7    5 years ago
Rape has lifelong consequences for the victim that seem to be largely ignored or downplayed by society.   

Being raped is not a disease that can be cured.

 

Sexual Violence Can Have Long-Term Effects on Victims

The likelihood that a person suffers suicidal or depressive thoughts increases after sexual violence.

  • 94% of women who are raped experience symptoms of  post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD) during the two weeks following the rape. 9
  • 30% of women report symptoms of PTSD 9 months after the rape. 10
  • 33% of women who are raped contemplate suicide. 11
  • 13% of women who are raped attempt suicide. 11
  • Approximately 70% of rape or sexual assault victims experience moderate to severe distress, a larger percentage than for any other violent crime. 12

People who have been sexually assaulted are more likely to use drugs than the general public. 11

  • 3.4 times more likely to use marijuana
  • 6 times more likely to use cocaine
  • 10 times more likely to use other major drugs
Sexual violence also affects victims’ relationships with their family, friends, and co-workers. 12
  • 38% of victims of sexual violence experience work or school problems, which can include significant problems with a boss, coworker, or peer.
  • 37% experience family/friend problems, including getting into arguments more frequently than before, not feeling able to trust their family/friends, or not feeling as close to them as before the crime.
  • 84% of survivors who were victimized by an intimate partner experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
  • 79% of survivors who were victimized by a family member, close friend or acquaintance experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
  • 67% of survivors who were victimized by a stranger experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
 
 
 
Sunshine
Professor Quiet
8  Sunshine    5 years ago
Noa Pothoven dies after struggles with sexual assault, depression, and anorexia [Corrected]

Headline was changed on the article.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
8.1  seeder  JohnRussell  replied to  Sunshine @8    5 years ago

I copied the headline from the news aggregator Memeorandum

-
-
-
The only thing I did was to add the words (assisted suicide)  to show that is what legal euthanasia can entail in the Netherlands
 
 
 
Sunshine
Professor Quiet
8.1.1  Sunshine  replied to  JohnRussell @8.1    5 years ago

Reporting now that the initial reporting was wrong.

A story about a 17-year-old girl who died by legal euthanasia has hit the headlines across the globe – for inaccurate reasons.
Noa Pothoven, who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia and a spate of other mental health issues after she was raped and sexually assaulted several times from the age of 11, died in her home on Sunday after she refused to accept any more food or drink.

None the less, the child suffered.  I don't understand why she was not hospitalized and given care.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
8.1.2  seeder  JohnRussell  replied to  Sunshine @8.1.1    5 years ago

ok.

 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
8.1.3  mocowgirl  replied to  Sunshine @8.1.1    5 years ago
died in her home on Sunday after she refused to accept any more food or drink.

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.  

 
 
 
mocowgirl
Professor Quiet
8.1.4  mocowgirl  replied to  Sunshine @8.1.1    5 years ago
Reporting now that the initial reporting was wrong.

Thank you for the update.  I was too horrified to even google for more information.

 
 
 
Mark in Wyoming
Professor Silent
8.1.5  Mark in Wyoming   replied to  Sunshine @8.1.1    5 years ago

Your linked article says she was hospitalized and treatment  given, by a judge and her parents insistence because of her age at that time.

 
 
 
Sunshine
Professor Quiet
8.1.6  Sunshine  replied to  Mark in Wyoming @8.1.5    5 years ago

That was previous treatment apparently she died at home...

died in her home on Sunday after she refused to accept any more food or drink.

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?  

 
 
 
Mark in Wyoming
Professor Silent
8.1.7  Mark in Wyoming   replied to  Sunshine @8.1.6    5 years ago

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.

 
 
 
epistte
Junior Guide
8.2  epistte  replied to  Sunshine @8    5 years ago
Headline was changed on the article.

Depression and anorexia are common with PTSD.

The Undeniable Relationship between Eating Disorders, Trauma, and PTSD

Recent studies validate the importance of assessing trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in treating eating disorders. A relationship between eating disorders, particularly bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, and trauma has been discovered among participants in various studies (Brewerton 2007).

While child sexual abuse has long been recognized as a risk factor for eating disorders and can also manifest in other psychiatric disorders, recent studies indicate other types of trauma can also lead to eating disorders. A recent study found that “the vast majority of women and men with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge eating disorder (BED) reported a history of interpersonal trauma” (Mitchell et al. 2012). Approximately one-third of women with bulimia, 20% with binge eating disorder and 11.8% with non-bulimic/non binge eating disorders met criteria for lifetime PTSD. Overall, the most significant finding was that rates of eating disorders were generally higher in people who experienced trauma and PTSD (Mitchell et al. 2012).

.

How Often PTSD and Depression Coincide

Depression is one of the most commonly occurring diagnoses in people with post-traumatic stress disorder. In fact, researchers have found that among people who have (or have had) a diagnosis of PTSD, approximately 48 percent to 55 percent also experienced current or previous depression. People who have had PTSD at some point in their lives are three to five times as likely as people without PTSD to also have depression.

 
 
 
Steve Ott
Professor Quiet
10  Steve Ott    5 years ago

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.

 
 

Who is online



69 visitors