A 27-year-old gym teacher from a secondary school in Alkmaar had online sexual contact with several students. The man sent explicit and suggestive chats and photos to a 16-year-old girl before the 2022 summer vacation. After news articles about the lawsuit, a second victim came forward.
This morning the teacher had to answer to the court of Alkmaar for the seducing a minor student. The contact between him and the girl, whom he mentored in an earlier school year, started in April last year.
Via Instagram, the 27-year-old PE teacher asked his followers for great tips for films. The girl responded. The conversation then, the suspect says in court today, will first be about which genres they like: action, horror.
But at some point they get on the subject Netflix and Chill – that statement suggests that you invite someone to your home to watch movies and have sex. In the online contact, via the private chat on Instagram and later Snapchat, explicit photos were eventually also sent back and forth.
The images suggested that the man was masturbating or had just finished. The gym teacher would also have insinuated that he wanted to have sex with the student in the locker room. The contact lasted until the end of June, until someone reported it to the student coordinator.
“Talk about it, don’t be ashamed”
“The most important thing if something like this happens to you or happens at school: talk about it. Don’t be ashamed. Share it with someone who can help you. Be kind to each other as a friend of someone involved,” says social pedagogue Tim van der Heide van Qpido (part of levvel), an institution for sexual health among young people.
Having and discovering sexual feelings is healthy, says Van der Heide. “But acting on it can sometimes have major consequences.” At the bottom of this article are tips to start a conversation and to recognize a (potentially) unhealthy relationship, with you or of course others.
The school enters into a conversation with the two, but when they are together in one room, they both deny contact. Because the coordinator is not entirely confident, she takes the girl aside a day later, who still tells everything.
The teacher is asked by the school as his socialdelete accounts. Earlier, a director responded that it was then jointly decided to split up. The police will conduct an investigation.
In a victim impact statement, read by her lawyer, the girl says she was emotionally manipulated by the gym teacher and was also pressured to keep their contact a secret and delete messages. “For fear of the balance of power, I did not dare to refuse.”
‘For other victims’
When it came out, she experienced a lot of stress, because of the rumors at school and also from media. She was also very upset that the teacher denied their contact for a long time. “Why would you do that? It was a terrible time. I have to give it a place and it’s not easy. I didn’t really want to come here either. But I’m here for all the girls who have been victims of this kind of situation. “
After publications on the research into the PE teacherthree weeks ago, another woman (19) reported to the police, it appears today. The teenager recognizes herself in the accusation of seducing a gym teacher.
“I hope that now it is not pointed out who is guilty of what, but that it is mainly learned”
In 2020, when she was sixteen, has she also had sexual contact via Instagram. And she also gets several explicit photos.
The now 27-year-old teacher, who no longer works at the school, admits guilt and says he is ashamed. “I apologize to everyone I’ve hurt. I crossed a line. And I blame myself for never seeking help. I have that help now.”
His lawyer Ivonne Leenhouwers argues that there are no criminally lewd acts by her client: sexting is not yet formally punishable and yes, the contact was wrong, but not under duress. But the Public Prosecution Service sees it differently.
“The teacher had a position of power. The girl felt pressure due to a lopsided relationship. And he not only violated her trust, but also that of the school, parents and other students. He should have kept a professional distance.”
She is demanding a prison sentence of six weeks, four of which are suspended, four months community service, treatment and compensation. The verdict is in two weeks.
‘Equality, voluntariness and impact’
“We are not concerned with who is guilty, but we do discuss the behavior and its consequences. That is important so that everyone learns from it. Teachers, students, school and parents,” says social pedagogue of Qpido Tim van der Heide.
His tip is: discuss the six criteria below regarding the relationship that you may have a doubtful feeling about. This is the so-called flag system. “This can work preventively.”
With regard to the sexual behavior, there is…
Permission?
“Has you said yes and do you want both? You can also enter a gray area here, because there may be a difference between what someone says and what they mean. Verbal and non-verbal communication must match. It is good to keep checking whether you have understood someone correctly.”
Voluntariness?
“Do you want it yourself and is there no coercion? Think of a reward, physical coercion, but also group or social pressure. This means: the feeling that you have to do something because otherwise you will be judged negatively.”
Equivalence?
“Are you equal? That could mean; is there a difference in position, like a student and a teacher, a difference in power? Are you dependent on someone? Is there a difference in age, life experience, IQ?”
What is the context?
“Is this behavior okay in this environment? If you are a hotel junkie and want to have sex: super fun, but is the environment safe and nice? Accepted and logical? Not in the bushes or in a class, for example? You do see a shift among young people : they are more and more familiar with their phone and so online sexual behavior is more accepted.”
Is the developmentally appropriate?
“What is the developmental age of those involved and does the sexual behavior match that? There is usually a major developmental difference between a boy aged 12 and a girl aged 17: girls mature faster than boys. It is different between a girl aged 15 and a man aged 20. “
What is the impact?
“It’s about the behavior and its consequences, where the ‘power holder’ is held responsible for the consequences.”
With regard to the points, is this acceptable behaviour? Green flag. “That’s fine.”
Light transgressive behavior? Orange flag. “There is not much going on yet, but do start the conversation. Be aware of the situation.”
Serious transgressive behavior? Red flag. “A conversation is certainly necessary and also a possible consequence. School can help with that, for example.”
Serious transgressive behaviour? A black flag. “The situation must stop immediately and the person may also have to be removed from the situation.”
Of course everyone is different, a lot depends on norms and values and society changes over time, emphasizes the social pedagogue. “But this system can help you start a conversation.” More information about the flag system can be found here.