Australian medical experts concerned Dutch girl’s death sends ‘wrong message’

A prominent child psychologist fears that the death of a Netherlands teen who struggled with mental illness after being sexually assaulted will spark a dangerous trend among Australian teenagers.

Health experts are “extremely concerned” the death of a Dutch teenager who was legally ­allowed to die after struggling with mental illness will send the “wrong message” to vulnerable young Australians.

Noa Pothoven, 17, chose to end her own life last Sunday, saying the emotional pain she was living with was intolerable.

The youngster, from Arnhem in the Netherlands, was allegedly molested twice when she attended children’s parties aged 11 and 12 before being sexually assaulted by two men at the age of 14.

The tragic incidents led her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anorexia nervosa, which she detailed in an autobiography called Winning or Learning.

Noa Pothoven, a Dutch teenager from Arnhem, has been legally euthanised.

“I will get straight to the point: within a maximum of 10 days I will die. After years of battling and fighting, I am drained,” Ms Pothoven wrote in a now-private Instagram post a day before her death.

“I have quit eating and drinking for a while now, and after many discussions and evaluations, it was decided to let me go because my suffering is unbearable.

“Out of fear and shame, I relive the fear, that pain every day. Always scared, always on my guard. And to this day my body still feels dirty.

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“My house has been ­broken into, my body, that can never be undone.”

Child and adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said he was worried Ms Pothoven’s story might “normalise, sanitise and potentially glamorise the idea of not being here anymore”.

Child and adolescent psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg.

“In my business I know a lot of very depressed, very anxious, very suicidal young people,” he said. “You can never give up on anyone. There’s lots of different things you can try and I just wonder whether or not she had exhausted all of them.

“There are two things that worry me — the message it sends to young people who might be vulnerable and … whether or not that’s what euthanasia is supposed to be for.”

Noa with her book. Picture: Instagram

Noa said her mental pain had become “unbearable.” Picture: Instagram

Young adults aged 16 and 17 do not need parental consent for euthanasia under Dutch law, but parents must be involved in the decision. The teen had sought euthanasia but was reportedly denied and instead was provided with palliative care when she refused to eat or drink.

Voluntary euthanasia will return to Australia for the first time in two decades when Victoria’s assisted dying laws come into effect on June 19. Similar legislation was proposed for NSW in 2017 but failed to pass the upper house.

The Butterfly Foundation’s Melissa Wilton said anorexia had the highest mortality rate of any eating disorder.

Noa Pothoven said she was suffering from the main of a childhood rape. Picture: Facebook

“Up to 97 per cent of individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder also receive a diagnosis for at least one more psychiatric illness, which can include PTSD, severe depression, sexual dysfunction, and self-harm and suicide ideation with a common link to previous trauma like Noa,” Ms Wilton said.

“We acknowledge there are a number of people … battling an eating disorder who also have sexual and childhood abuse in their life journey. We urge those impacted by Noa’s story to call the eating disorders National Butterfly Helpline on 1800 33 4673.”

People who are experiencing mental health issues or suicidal feelings can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue 1300

Originally published as Australian medical experts concerned Dutch girl’s death sends ‘wrong message’