ANPThe building of the Utrechtsch Studenten Corps (USC).
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Charlotte Broesterhuizen
editor Nieuwsuur|
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Evert-Jan Offringa
reporter Nieuwsuur
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Charlotte Broesterhuizen
editor Nieuwsuur|
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Evert-Jan Offringa
reporter Nieuwsuur
People screaming on the phone, dozens of messages a day, dirty proposals from complete strangers. According to the parents of Utrecht students, their daughters have suffered the consequences every day since their data was distributed by members of the Utrecht USC corps. News hour spoke to several parents who were taking legal action.
Last month, a PowerPoint presentation was distributed under the name ‘girl performance year 23’ with the names, photos, addresses and telephone numbers of 28 members of the UVSV women’s association. The names are accompanied by comments such as ‘Couldn’t really fuck well’, ‘Also huge ass. Very nice round’ and ‘Kk vulgar, nice and horny’.
The victims’ parents remain anonymous upon request, for fear that publicity will harm the well-being of their daughters. The women involved do not want to cooperate.
My daughter needs psychological assistance to be able to stand strong again.
Victim’s father
“They are just eighteen or nineteen. They are more than six months into their student years and have just moved to Utrecht,” says one of the mothers. “They are trying to find a place in a group. They just feel at home in their house. I don’t think outsiders realize how big the impact of this list is. You have the feeling that you are being watched all the time.”
According to a father, his daughter did not hear from those responsible after the distribution. “While these boys were completely untraceable online within a short period of time. That shows where their priorities lie. My daughter needs psychological assistance to be able to stand strong again.”
Two 20-year-old men were arrested on Wednesday for making the list. They are currently suspected of insult, defamation and slander. The origin of a second list that is being circulated is not yet clear. The police have received a total of fifteen reports.
‘They want the spreading to stop’
Lawyer Ina Brouwer is assisting the group of parents. According to her, everyone has more or less the same story. “They want the spreading to stop, the perpetrators to be dealt with and the culture in which this takes place to change. So-called sexist jokes were also made in the past. You could also find a lot of that at the time, but it remained within the same circle. In this digital time, a list full of personal data is sent all over the world. According to the parents, it is time that these boys notice what they are doing.”
In 2016 and 2021, members of the Groningen student association Vindicat were suspended after the distribution of a ‘banga list’. No reports were filed at the time. The Public Prosecution Service also saw no reason to start its own investigation.
After the recent distribution of the list in Utrecht, the USC association has suspended an unknown number of members indefinitely. The university and college are suspending subsidies for the remainder of the calendar year and demanding a public apology. The men’s association must present an improvement plan before May 1.
A pattern
According to the parents, that is not enough. They want to do away with a pattern. “Everyone apologizes and moves on,” says one of the mothers. “So it’s like waiting for the next list. If it doesn’t stop now, it will never stop.”
Brouwer is working on a broad legal approach, in which those responsible are held liable. Parents are also committed to removing the banga lists from the internet. “That’s not easy, but we’ll try,” says Brouwer. “Various platforms have procedures for this. When distributed via WhatsApp, removal is more difficult. Associations can call on their members to remove all lists immediately. Doxing has been a punishable offense since January 1.”
Sanctions
The parents also believe that the UVSV women’s association should stand up more strongly for its members and that USC and the university should impose clear sanctions. Brouwer: “As soon as the rules are violated, an association or educational institution will immediately leave. The sanctions that currently apply are clearly not sufficient.”
Utrecht University writes in a response that sanctions can only be imposed on individual students if they “exhibit unacceptable behavior” within the grounds of the university or college. Because the creation and distribution of the banga list took place in the social environment of the creators, the educational institutions have no powers to punish, says a university spokesperson. “If no results are forthcoming, we will not hesitate to completely sever ties with USC.”
Marielotte Riedstra, chairman of the UVSV, calls it ‘shocking’ that these types of lists are still being distributed in 2024. “You immediately think: don’t these boys have a sister, girlfriend, mother? These are disgusting texts, and that is mentioned with your details and your photo.” The chairman says that the association is considering filing a report later if there is no change at the men’s association.
The lawyer for the USC members involved could not be reached for comment.
USC response:
“The USC expressly distances itself from this abhorrent action. Naturally, the greatest priority has been to properly care for the victims, for which the UVSV board was immediately contacted. At the request of the UVSV board, no contact was made with the victims, not even by those responsible. This is to ensure that no women are approached who had no need for this. An independent committee is currently determining which definitive sanctions will follow. We are in close contact with the police and fully cooperate with the police investigation.”
2024-04-05 18:10:58
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