[reece(:]

A teenager who said she was raped by two men died by legal euthanasia in the Netherlands, it's emerged.

Noa Pothoven made a "sad last post" to social media last week in which she announced she would "die within 10 days".

The 17-year-old detailed her struggles with sexual assault, depression, and anorexia in her award-winning biography "Winning or Learning".

She wrote in her book that she was first assaulted at the age of 11 and raped by two men when she was just 14-years-old, facts she hid from her parents because she was ashamed.

In her last post on Instagram, the young girl wrote that she had stopped eating and drinking and that her suffering was "unbearable."

She wrote that her decision was "final" and that she had not been alive for a while.

"I breathe but no longer live," she wrote.

A patient in the Netherlands may receive physician-assisted suicide if they are "enduring unbearable and unendurable suffering", according to the Dutch life ending clinic the 17-year-old consulted.

Originally the clinic said she was too young, according to Dutch news outlet de Gelderlander's 2018 profile of the teenager.

But legally minors are eligible under certain circumstances.

Pothoven wrote on Instagram last week that after many "conversations and reviews" it had been decided.

In 2017, 6,585 people died of euthanasia in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch Regional Euthanasia Review Committees' most recent report. Pathologists must legally report cases to the review committees.

Most of those people had untreatable cancer.

The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium are the only countries in the European Union that allow voluntary euthanasia.

Physician-assisted suicide is allowed in Switzerland, where even foreigners are allowed to travel to receive it.

In Finland, there is no penalty for physician-assisted suicide, but in most European countries the topic is hotly debated and the practise is illegal except for under very specific circumstances.

Dutch MP Lisa Westerveld visited Pothoven before her death and said she was impressed by the teenager's strength.

"I will never forget her. We will continue her struggle," Westerveld told Dutch media de Gelderlander.

The teen was a self-described "mental illness warrior".

https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/04/...he-netherlands

Problematic in so many ways

[Marsh.]

I knew it was legal under "circumstances" but I assumed those circumstances were life threatening illness/disabilities.

She was literally a depressed suicidal teen and they've assisted her in killing herself. I don't see how anyone could find that ok. :/

[Mokka]

Wow... 17 years old.
I don't know how to feel about allowing a 17 year old to choose euthanasia... I dont see it as much different than suicide... especially when the reasoning for not wanting to continue to live is mental illness and not an untreatable physical illness. I guess it provides more dignity than suicide... but I just don't know how to wrap my head around it

[Ammi]

...this is so, so sad...it feels as though it’s giving up on mental health issues...’at 17 years old we couldn’t help you’......

[bitontheslide]

i'm just speechless. Surely the state has a duty of care over her mental and emotional health

[RileyH]

Omg this is heartbreaking

[Cherie]

This is practically murder, she was raped at 14 so just 3 years ago, that's no time at all to try and get over such a traumatic event

[LeatherTrumpet]

How on earth is a child able to do this legally??

[Cherie]

This case shows how quickly 'legal circumstances' for euthanisa will be used outside of the normal terminal cases, very scary

[Twosugars]

It is disturbing
Who let this go ahead?

[Kazanne]

This is so sad, that poor girl was let down so badly by so many people, heartbreaking story.

[Vicky.]

Sounds shocking, but thinking about it, I don't really have a problem with is as basically, at any age someone can attempot suicide and euthanasia is..well a nicer version of suicide in my eyes. Should be legal everywhere. And available to whoever wants it so long as they are classed as able to understand the decision, same as suicides an option for all/most.

[Livia]

I have problems with her being 17. It se ems that she didn't get the support she needed. But if she was older, I wouldn't have a problem. It may be a controversial view but I believe your life is your own and only you should have control over whether or not to end it.

[Cherie]

My issue is that she was raped 3 years ago, I don't know what a 'reasonable' amount of time to get over something like that would be, but I think 3 years is not long enough, with regard to suicide that is a good point, but she was assisted to die, like they gave up on her, that doesn't sit too well with me

[smudgie]

I am a believer in euthanasia, however in this case, shame on them.
Giving permission for a young girl of this age with obvious mental health problems is a disgrace.
She should have been given the support and counselling needed to help her through this.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Cherie

My issue is that she was raped 3 years ago, I don't know what a 'reasonable' amount of time to get over something like that would be, but I think 3 years is not long enough, with regard to suicide that is a good point, but she was assisted to die, like they gave up on her, that doesn't sit too well with me

I'd like to know if they caught the men who raped her. I say "men", you know what I mean. Seems like she's the one who was handed a death sentence, I'd like to at least think that they have been punished in some way but even so I am willing to travel to Holland at my own expense and hit each of their penises with a ball peen hammer.

[Strictly Jake]

I agree Sumdgie I believe euthanasia in certain circumstances is acceptable. If someone had weeks to live were bed bound and were in immense pain then its actually a kind thing

I just feel in this case a lot more could be done to help this girl. She wasn't at deaths door. Yes she wasn't eating or drinking and wanted to die but that doesn't mean she should have been helped to die. She needed a lot of therapy. In time she could have got better

[Livia]

It seems like everyone gave up on her. At 17. It's tragic.

[Toy Soldier]

I believe in euthanasia but only at end of life for dignity (only a few months to live anyway) or for incurable conditions with unmanageable pain. Euthanasia for mental health struggles is surely a massive slippery slope? Especially in a case like this. If she had been struggling and unable to function for decades with no improvement then you could maybe make an argument for it. But 3 years after a massively traumatic event?? It's just unthinkable... there's no way at all to know how this person would have felt in 5 or 10 years time. Even in 20 years she would still have only been in her 30's and really just starting out. I honestly can't believe anyone even considered signing off on this until a lot more time had passed?

[Ammi]

..she had been refusing food, I have no idea how long for...I’d like to know more about her/..her life...so I’ll try to find an English translation of her book is the only way I think...because this seems to have been very much supported by officials as well as loved ones ...so there must be a reason for that...

[Vicky.]

If someone is determined to end their life, IMO its better to do it as painless and such as possible, which this method is. otherwise, its going for pills, slit wrists, etc that might not even work. I think anyone should be able to make the choice to end their life for any reason really, the options there if you want to take the risk with whatever suicide measure, only issue is you might fail and leave yourself with even more problems. I am aware that this 'anytime you chose' opinion will be very very unpopular though

That said, age limit should probably be 18. and a lot of counselling should be given first but maybe it was in this case..

[Kazanne]

Where were her parents ? or have I missed something ?

[T*]

The only good thing I can think of is at least she didn’t go in any pain, the sad truth is if she didn’t go this way she would’ve likely done it anyway and gone in a more horrific way

[Tom4784]

This is just sad.

I don't think Euthanasia should be available for suicidal people, only people faced with terminal conditions who want to end their lives on their own terms. Things could have gotten better for her in time but now they never will. It's just... Sad.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by T*

The only good thing I can think of is at least she didn’t go in any pain, the sad truth is if she didn’t go this way she would’ve likely done it anyway and gone in a more horrific way

...yeah T*...at least there was no pain as she had self harmed for so long.....