1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: Just a heads up. Today's episode contains distressing themes, including 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: discussions of child sexual abuse. Listener, discretion is advised already 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: And this is the Daily This is the Daily os Oh, 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: now it makes sense. 5 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily Odds. It's Thursday, 6 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 2: the thirtieth of October. 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: I'm Lucy Tassel, I'm Emma Gillespie. 8 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 2: The Federal government has rejected the visa of a Dutch 9 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 2: beach volleyball player due to a conviction of child rape. 10 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 2: Stephen van Dervelt had sought to enter Australia for the 11 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 2: World Beach Volleyball Championships in Adelaide, being held in November. 12 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: In today's episode, we explain the context behind the government's decision, 13 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 2: including Van der Veldt's crime, his sentencing, and his continued 14 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:52,200 Speaker 2: athletic career. 15 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: Lucy, this story has been bubbling away for a few 16 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: few weeks now. There was a change dot org petition 17 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: that emerged in the last few weeks essentially seeking to 18 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: block this beach volleyballer, Stephen Vandervelt from entering Australia. So 19 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 1: can you take me back to the start. Who is 20 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: this guy and what do we need to know about him. 21 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 2: So. Stephen van Derveld is a beach volleyball player from 22 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 2: the Netherlands. He's represented his country at the highest level. 23 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 2: He's currently thirty one years old, and most importantly, he 24 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 2: is a child sex offender. Back in twenty fourteen, he 25 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: was nineteen at the time, so an adult. He repeatedly 26 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 2: messaged a British twelve year old girl on Facebook. They 27 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,479 Speaker 2: had kind of met on Facebook, and he then flew 28 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 2: to England where he raped her. His defense team later 29 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 2: argued that the girl had consented, but given she was 30 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 2: a twelve year old child at the time, she could 31 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: not actually give consent. 32 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: So, Lucy, I'm assuming this obviously went to based on 33 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: the fact. You know, you've mentioned defense team, a legal team. 34 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: How did authorities get involved in the first place? 35 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, So Vandervelt told the girl to take the morning 36 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: after pill and given her age. When she went to 37 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 2: a local clinic, staff alerted authorities. He was already on 38 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 2: his way back to the Netherlands at that time, so 39 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: he flew in one day the rape occurred. He went 40 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 2: back home straight away. In February twenty sixteen, he pleaded 41 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 2: guilty to three counts of child rape. He was sentenced 42 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 2: to four years in jail in March of that year, 43 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 2: twenty sixteen. 44 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,119 Speaker 1: Wow, that is extremely disturbing but fascinating that authorities really 45 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: only learned about this because that young young girl went 46 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: to a clinic seeking the morning after pill. 47 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 2: Yes, so then at the time the judge said, quote, 48 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 2: she was a child age twelve. You were fully aware 49 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 2: of that fact. You were a potential olympian. You had 50 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 2: the possibility of a stellar future presenting the Netherlands, referring 51 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: that to the then upcoming twenty sixteen Summer Olympics. 52 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of today's deep dive 53 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: right after a quick word from our sponsor, So Lucy, 54 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: there were the twenty sixteen Summer Olympics. I'm assuming Van 55 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: der Veld missed those because he was sentenced to imprisonment 56 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: following that child rape incident. But we're obviously talking about 57 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: him today nearly ten years later. So he has served 58 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: his time and made a return to professional sport. How 59 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: did that unfold? 60 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 2: A year into his four year sentence, Vandervelt was allowed 61 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: to return to the Netherlands to serve the rest of 62 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 2: his time. 63 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: Okay, so he went to a UK prison because that's 64 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: where the crime occurred. 65 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, so he had been extradited to the UK to 66 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 2: face charges. He pleads guilty, he serves a year of 67 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 2: jail time under a treaty between the two countries. He 68 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 2: was then returned to the Netherlands to finish out the sentence. 69 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 2: But something I didn't know about until researching this story 70 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 2: is how different the laws governing child sexual abuse were 71 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: in the Netherlands at the time. Specifically, they have since 72 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 2: been updated in some respects. So Vandervelt's actions were then 73 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,359 Speaker 2: considered less serious under Dutch law as they would have 74 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 2: been under British law. They were classified as basically in 75 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 2: decent assault. Some of the other sources I was looking 76 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 2: at said fornication, which is kind of an archaic word. 77 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 2: I think that might have just been a translation thing. 78 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 2: But the general gist that I got is that this 79 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 2: was something that was considered rape under British law in 80 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: decent assault under Dutch law, okay, And that meant that 81 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 2: soon after he returned to the Netherlands to serve out 82 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: his time, his sentence was reconsidered essentially under Dutch law, 83 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 2: because if he was serving time there, then he was 84 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: under their law. That meant that. About a month after 85 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 2: returning to the Netherlands, he was freed from jail and 86 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 2: his professional sporting care continued. In fact, he was named 87 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 2: to the Dutch beach volleyball team for the twenty twenty 88 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 2: four Paris Olympics. 89 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: Wow. Yeah, what was the reaction like to that from 90 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 1: within the sporting world. 91 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 2: Within the sporting world, it was a mixed reaction. People 92 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: booed him at his events at the Games, and he 93 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 2: stayed outside of the athletes village and at the time, 94 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 2: the head of Australia's Olympic team, Ana Mears, said words 95 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 2: to the effect of if that had happened here, you 96 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 2: wouldn't have been allowed to compete. But obviously the Netherlands 97 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: Volleyball Association had a different perspective ahead of the games 98 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 2: kicking off, they said. Quote. After his release, Vandervelt sought 99 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 2: and received professional counseling. He has demonstrated to those around 100 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 2: him privately and professionally self insight and reflection, they also said. Quote. 101 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 2: In twenty sixteen, Van Derveldt was convicted in England of 102 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 2: having sex with an underage girl, which who is rape 103 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 2: under English law and fornication under Dutch law, so you 104 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 2: can really see there are these two different standards that 105 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 2: are being applied to the same crime depending on the country. 106 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,679 Speaker 2: In the Anti did compete and the men's beach volleyball 107 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: team came ninth. 108 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: So all of that was last year. We're talking about 109 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: the July Paris Olympics. It's now more than a year 110 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: later and his presence at a sporting event has caused 111 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: disruption and dispute. Again, this is a professional athlete who 112 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: is a convicted child sex offender. What has happened in 113 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: the last few weeks? Why is he back in the headlines. 114 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,799 Speaker 2: Vandervelt was selected to represent the Netherlands at the World 115 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 2: Championships of Beach Volleyball that are taking place in Adelaide 116 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 2: next month, and he's got a partner in this because 117 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 2: it's the paired sport, Alexander Brewer. A petition was then 118 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 2: started by activist group What Were You Wearing Australia to 119 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 2: block him from entering the country on the grounds that 120 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 2: he has this child sexual abuse offense. As that petition 121 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 2: picked up steam, South Australian Attorney General Kaya Mar wrote 122 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 2: to the federal government asking it to cancel Vandervelt's visa 123 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 2: he said, quote, this individual's offending is utterly abhorrent and 124 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: we do not believe that foreign sex offenders should be 125 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 2: granted entry to this country. We've discussed on this podcast 126 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 2: before when we were talking about Candice Owens. Yes, the 127 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: federal government can refuse visa's Minister Tony Burke, the Home 128 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 2: Affairs Minister has a few different grounds to refuse someone 129 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 2: entry to the country. 130 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: Absolutely. That role is set up basically to give the 131 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: Home Affairs Minister a range of powers to decide when 132 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 1: or if someone should not be allowed into the country. 133 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. So one of those reasons is if they believe 134 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 2: allowing someone to enter Australia would not be in the 135 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: best interests of Australian children, and the minister can flag 136 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 2: a character concern which can include I'm quoting directly from 137 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 2: the Act here, a court in Australia or a foreign 138 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 2: country has convicted the person of one or more sexually 139 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 2: based defenses involving a child. So obviously Van Dervelt has 140 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 2: three charges of child rape in the UK. That would 141 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 2: be the grounds and that is why we believe his 142 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 2: visa has been rejected. 143 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: Okay, so his convictions immediately meet those qualifications. For a 144 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: visa cancelation. What has the reaction been like? Because obviously 145 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: he still competes as a professional athlete in some countries 146 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: and obviously in his home country, but there is this 147 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: international event in Adelaide that he is now excluded from. 148 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: What's the reaction been like. 149 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 2: The Dutch Volleyball Association confirmed the decision. It said it 150 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: quote regrets the outcome but accepts it. Van Dervelt also 151 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 2: said he understood why this had happened. He said his 152 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 2: criminal conviction made approval quote a problem. The Netherlands have 153 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 2: withdrawn from the event as his teammate can't compete without him. 154 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 2: It's a paired sport. And Volleyball Australia acknowledged the ruling, 155 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 2: saying it was awaiting a decision from the International Beach 156 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 2: Volleyball Association on the possibility of a quote replacement team. 157 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 2: I think to make up the numbers in the brackets. 158 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: Wow, a very disturbing, fascinating story. Thank you so much 159 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: for taking us through that one today, Lucy. Thanks Emma, 160 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: and if today's episode has raised any concerns for you, 161 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: help is available through one eight hundred respect on one 162 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,839 Speaker 1: eight hundred seven three seven seven three to two or 163 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: during business hours on weekdays. You can also contact the 164 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: Brave Hearts hotline for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. 165 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: They're available on one eight hundred two seven two eight 166 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: three one. We will of course put those numbers in 167 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: the episode description. That's it for today's Deep Dive, but 168 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: we will be back this afternoon with your evening headlines. 169 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: Until then, have a good day. 170 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 2: My name is Lily Madden and I'm a proud Arunda 171 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 2: Bungelung Chalcottin woman from Gadigal Country. The Daily oz acknowledges 172 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 2: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 173 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,319 Speaker 2: Gadigal people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and torrest 174 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 2: Rate island and nations. We pay our respects to the 175 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 2: first peoples of these countries, both past and present.