The Public Prosecution Service demands 8 years in prison and TBS with compulsory treatment against a 58-year-old man suspected of raping and abusing his daughter. According to the OM, her 24-year-old twin brothers have also committed the rape of the woman. A prison sentence of 54 months has been demanded against them, combined with TBS with conditions.
It is October 24, 2023, when the now 21-year-old victim walks into the police station to file a complaint against her father and her two brothers for years of abuse and sexual assault. She has already been away from home for a year with the help of a colleague and Stichting De Vluchtheuvel and has been taken in by a foster family. The young woman is emotionally in a bad place. “We cannot imagine what this decision has cost and gained her. With this, she has reclaimed the right to self-determination that belongs to her and shows the defendants that they do not have her in their power,” said the public prosecutor in court.
The victim states that she has been abused by her father since she was young. For example, she would regularly be hit on her buttocks with a wooden stick, after which she could no longer sit. She also received repeated blows to her face. It does not stop at abuse; a few years later, in 2015, when the victim was about 12 years old, the sexual abuse by her father also began. Afterwards, he would always say he was sorry and asked for forgiveness. At one of those moments, the twin brothers were also present. From that moment on, they also began to copy their fathers behavior and sexually abuse their sister. Although all three defendants largely deny, according to the Public Prosecution Service, there is enough evidence. The victims statements are supported by numerous tapped conversations, emails, and witness statements. The stick was also found and seized during a house search.
Family
The family in which the victim grew up was extremely isolated from the outside world. The children did go to school, but were not allowed to participate in any outings and did not socialize with classmates. On their birthdays, they treated each other to Bible verses and only spoke to each other. Over the years, many reports have been made to various agencies by school, family, and neighbors who were concerned about the isolation of the family and the children. The agencies never got a foot in the door.
PBC
All three defendants were examined at the Pieter Baan Center. The researchers concluded that the father was partially insane and that he had both autism and a narcissistic personality disorder. The twin brothers were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, the researchers judged that they were also partially insane.
The public prosecutor judges that, in addition to a prison sentence, TBS is necessary to prevent re-offending. The investigation shows that the defendants have an extreme and rigid fixation on faith. In addition, they are hardly able to imagine the feelings, beliefs, and experiences of others.
Severity
The public prosecutor elaborated on the severity of the case during the hearing. “The defendant was very young when the abuse and mistreatment began. Children of that age cannot protect their sexual integrity and set their boundaries. The victim thought it was normal. By committing lewd acts with his daughter and their sister, the defendants prioritized their own lustful feelings over the interests of the victim. It is well known that victims of such offenses suffer long-term negative psychological consequences. And sometimes those consequences only surface years later. Psychological consequences of the abuse, such as low self-esteem, PTSD, or depression, can lead to an inability to understand the emotional meaning of sexuality. This increases the likelihood of repeated victimization.”
