This article feels super rage bait-y to be honest. Like my first reaction at the title is of course, being like "thats fucked up" but as im reading it, it feels like this article was written in a manipulative way. There's no sources at all, can't find any using English google, decided to literally figure out how to search Dutch google in Dutch just to find something more reputable and there's only this one site, which has 2 articles, the only 2 links in either is one article pointing to the other, and another link to what is clearly (from the add/article layout) a Belgium tabloid of some kind.

Like nothing about the people involved or the situation, but this website is some shit, and so is the other one covering this. They may be on the right side of this story but this website itself feels incredibly un-credible, and I wouldn't think to assume Belgium has some sort of news media problem where like, the gossip tabloids are the last bastions fighting for bodily autonomy and consent, where it would make sense that there is no other source.

There is going to be a new trial, everybody chill out.

In Belgium a couple of years ago a brown student died during a hazing at a fraternity. Every one involved , all white and sons of doctors, lawyers and judges, basically came away scott free. They were all sentenced to community service and weren’t found guilty for criminal negligence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Sanda_Dia

Belgium has a elitism problem. Bet if this rapist was a brown medical student or a street sweeper or something he would’ve gotten jail time.

no sentence be passed as this would result in the accused having great difficulty in finding work in the medical profession.

I wonder why the medical profession doesn't want rapists.... 🤔

" By finding him guilty but not punishing him, he will be made to feel guilty and the chance of him reoffending will be prevented, without socially impairing the man "

So that judge is either a rapist or an idiot.

NAME AND FUCKING SHAME

Ok I can understand if he was caught with pot, drug paraphernalia, or drunk driving (without injuring someone).

But raping someone? Idc if you’re talented or have a bright future you should have it on your record or face a punishment like probation

Well let's Brock Allen Turner this motherfucker

Obligatory reminder that Belgium has a unresolved problem with a pedophile ring raping and murdering children with impunity, enjoying protection and likely having direct involvement of the highest ranks of politics, police and judiciary.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1774436.stm

The man hasn't been named by Belgian media. 😠

Internet detectives, hear my call! Find the name of this rapist so that we may plaster it everywhere like the rapist Brock Turner!

They were both drunk. She was more drunk.

JFC, I was afraid this was in the US. I'm not pleased to realize there are other places just as fucked up. Though in the US the excuse for letting him off would have to be that he was rich, not brilliant.

Oh wow, something from Belgium showed up here. Obviously most reactions are the same here. But I would urge everyone to read more details about this. As there much more uncomfortable nuance here. One of those being that the dude is also in agreement he did something wrong. He also gave a relatively accurate description of the events of that evening that got proven with phone records and CCTV at different locations. Making his account of what happened at the least somewhat reliable.

Obviously the woman could not consent because she was drunk as fuck. And she's allowed to get drunk as fuck without being taken advantage off. CCTV showed them kissing at the bar they met. Phone records show he tried to call her friend she was supposed to go home with. CCTV shows them going to that friend's dorm and not getting in and waiting there for half an hour. Then they walk back to his place while kissing on the way there. The morning after his messages to her indicate he wants to continue seeing her. (https://m.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250402_95297572?journeybuilder=nopaywall but it's in Dutch)

Again, she could not consent, and he as the least drunk of both of them bears the responsibility of this. I do think he should have had some form of punishment above of what he got and for the woman's feeling of safety a restraining order like she asked. And something that would have made mandatory counselling and follow-up possible. Not to mention that although justice in Belgium isn't supposed to be revenge, it should also cause some sort of satisfaction for the victim.

This situation just shows that the definition of rape over the decades has become more complex and nuanced, but unfortunately the tools to deal with this have not. This dude definitely did something wrong, but he's not just a vicious predator.

This reminds me of the rapist Brock Turner, aka Allen Turner, the rapist.

So if he’s gonna rape as a med student, he’s definitely gonna rape as a doctor. And that judge is a rapist too, judging from their warped views

By finding him guilty but not punishing him, he will be made to feel guilty and the chance of him reoffending will be prevented, without socially impairing the man

What a load of horse shit. “Letting him get away with rape penalty free will ensure he doesn’t do it again” is some crazy fucking logic. Seems like knowing there are no consequences for your actions would make repeating the offense significantly more likely.