:quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/4d6ad7aa-f979-11ec-9448-02d2fb1aa1d7.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "Shocking statement Vera Pauw: ‘As a young player raped by KNVB official’ | Football")
sport">Pauw (59), currently national coach of the Irish women’s team, states that as a young football player she was the victim of rape by a ‘prominent’ football official. From an interview in NRC it turns out that it was a football coach fourteen years older, who had sex with her against her will in her home in Utrecht. The fact, dating from 1986, has since become time-barred. The coach accused by Pauw denies to NRC that there has been sexually transgressive behaviour. He does admit that he had an affair with Pauw, but according to him nothing inappropriate happened.
sport">In the statement, Pauw also mentions two assaults by other Dutch football officials. She says: “For 35 years I kept the abuse to myself. I have allowed the memory of it to control my life, fill me with daily pain and disgust and dominate my emotional life.” Pauw indicates that he recently reported the sexual violence to the police, after the KNVB was unable to provide a satisfactory answer to an internal report about the abuse made by Pauw. She states about this: „In recent years I have tried to get my case heard in a reasonable way with the football association in the Netherlands, but without success. Some people would rather keep my rape silent than provide the support I need in getting this story out to the world. I can no longer sustain sharing that silence.”
Reaction KNVB
sport">After Pauw’s statement, the football association quickly followed with its own statement: “At the KNVB we are very shocked by the experiences from a not recent past that Vera Pauw told us about in a conversation last year.”
sport">The association continues: “As a result of this, we have jointly decided to have an investigation done. Vera wanted this to be carried out by Verinorm, an independent research agency that specializes in social safety. The KNVB then commissioned Verinorm. The research questions were communicated by Verinorm with Vera, after which this bureau spoke with 22 parties involved, 18 of which were suggested by Vera. Extensive hearings have taken place. Since a number of matters were experienced differently by those involved at the time, the sole purpose of the report was to find the truth and map out facts and circumstances, which would only be discussed by Vera, Verinorm and the KNVB. However, the report has been publicized (out of our control).
sport">The football body realizes that it has not handled the matter properly. “This independent investigation shows that the KNVB should have approached a number of things differently. For example, Vera has unfortunately been confronted in the past with a number of (estimation) errors and harmful comments from (former) KNVB employees. Verinorm has also found with the investigation that there was no plan or policy of the KNVB behind this.”
Vera Pauw during her period as national coach of Orange
Ⓒ ANP/HH
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sport">In addition, the findings of the study said: “The researchers also state that the KNVB was not sufficiently alert to the first signals from Vera in 2011 about sexually transgressive behaviour. The report states that these signals were veiled, but that should not be an excuse if such a theme comes up in any way. The KNVB did not react sharply enough to this at the time. In a later conversation about this (2017), Vera explicitly asked us not to take any action. In the context of Verinorm’s investigation, the reporting of sexual abuse was explicitly discussed and the steps that are immediately relevant today: reporting to the police and/or reporting to the ISR. After consultation between Verinorm and Vera – after all pros and cons have been weighed up – Vera has decided not to elaborate on this subject. We have respected that choice. The intention was to protect Vera, but we should have taken other paths.”
sport">The KNVB hopes to be able to sit down with Pauw again about the very painful issue: “We acknowledge the errors identified in the report and should not have happened to her. It is unacceptable that Vera did not experience the safe working environment to which she was entitled at the time. In personal contact with Vera, we have experienced that this situation unfortunately has a lot of impact on her and we are sorry for that. We want to discuss the recommendations from the report internally and with Vera as soon as possible, but very carefully so that we can take action. Also with a view to restorative mediation.”
sport">Career Vera Peacock:
sport">1984
sport">Debut Dutch women’s team
sport">1988
sport">First Dutch woman with a professional contract with Italian Modena
sport">2004
sport">National coach Dutch women’s team
sport">2005
sport">First woman with diploma Professional Football Coach Course
sport">2007
sport">Start Eredivisie women
sport">2009
sport">Women’s European Championship semi-finals
sport">2010
sport">Russia Women’s Football Director
sport">2017
sport">Knight of the KNVB
sport">2019
sport">Ireland national coach
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