Teenage girl raped as a child dies in Netherlands after asking for euthanasia

A 17-year-old girl has died after years of battling depression and anorexia after being raped as a young child.

Noa Pothoven, from Arnhem in the Netherlands, explained her decision to end her life in a now-private Instagram post last week, saying the trauma she struggled with after a childhood rape had become unbearable.

“After years of struggling and struggling, I am exhausted,” she wrote.

“After many discussions and assessments, it was decided to let me go because my suffering is unbearable.”

According to Deutsche Welle, the teenager’s death occurred after a euthanasia clinic in The Hague refused to help her die.

The teenager, who released an autobiography titled “Winning or Learning” in 2018 detailing her struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anorexia and self-harm, also urged her followers not to talk her out of her decision, adding, that this is “final” and “not impulsive”.

“Love in this case means letting go,” she ended her post.

Noa’s sister Isa Pothoven shared a moving tribute on Instagram following the teenager’s death on Sunday, remembering her loved one as a “sweet, beautiful and caring person.”

“Sleep well darling, we will miss you,” she wrote in a since-deleted post.

“Close your eyes and think of the beautiful place where you will go. We’ll have to let you go.”

Doctors must consider life “unbearable.”

Under Dutch law, euthanasia is permitted as long as it is carried out in accordance with the strict provisions of the controversial “End of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedure) Act,” which came into force in 2002.

The code states that doctors can grant a patient’s request for euthanasia if the request is voluntary and considered and the person’s suffering is deemed unbearable and has no prospect of improvement.

Doctors must also inform the patient about his situation and the further prognosis and both must come to the conclusion together that there is no other reasonable solution.

At least one other physician unrelated to the case must then see the patient and declare in writing that the treating physician has met the standards of care set forth in the Code.

Children aged 12 can request euthanasia in the Netherlands, although patients under 16 need parental consent to do so.

In 2017, 6,585 deaths due to legal euthanasia were reported in the country.

Human euthanasia is illegal in Australia, but euthanasia will become legal in the state of Victoria this year.

In May last year, 104-year-old Australian David Goodall traveled to Switzerland to end his life through voluntary euthanasia.

In February, Victorian firefighter Troy Thornton, who suffered from multiple system atrophy, also died in a Swiss euthanasia clinic.

-Yahoo! Now

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact us Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on November 13, 2014 or Suicide Recall Service on 1300 659 467.

Clarification: An earlier version of this story stated that Noa Pothoven died by euthanasia, but it is unclear whether doctors assisted in her death.

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