Texel Ends 75-Year Lifeguard partnership Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations
The Texel city council voted Wednesday evening to end a 75-year tradition of having lifeguards from the Utrechtsch Studenten Corps (USC) patrol its beaches this summer, following reports of sexual misconduct. Nine of the fifteen council members supported a motion to halt cooperation with the student institution, citing concerns over a pattern of inappropriate behavior.
Since 1950, members of the Utrecht-based student corps have provided lifeguard services on Texel for nine weeks each summer. Beginning in 1980, this work was done in collaboration with the Texel Rescue Brigade, with the volunteers focusing on different sections of the islandS coastline. The Texel Rescue Brigade monitored the tourist beaches on the north side, while the USC members, often referred to locally as ‘Bademeisters,’ guarded the southern beaches. Students were housed in a shed near the village of De Koog during their summer assignment.
The decision to sever ties with the USC came after councilor Jacquelien Dros (GroenLinks) heard accounts of a rape allegedly committed by Utrecht students in the summer of 2022. Afterward, three additional individuals came forward with reports of sexual misconduct. Dros, a former medical practitioner on the island, compiled these accounts, along with older stories, into a detailed “black book” documenting alleged incidents.
reports of misconduct extended beyond isolated incidents. Publications including AD and NRC reported earlier this year on a disturbing “points system” allegedly used by students,where “every sex session” earned points. A decades-old allegation also surfaced, claiming that students were observed engaging in sexual acts with a sheep near their lodging.
In response to growing concerns, the municipality of Texel implemented additional measures last summer. A vice detective interviewed the students upon their arrival, and a revised code of conduct prohibited “nightly visitors” to the shed.Taxi drivers were instructed not to transport women to the student housing. The students were also assigned two experienced lifeguards as mentors, and their performance was evaluated.
The September evaluation of the USC lifeguards was largely positive, noting that they had “grown into their role of helper” and provided first aid outside of their scheduled shifts. The report highlighted that the USW consistently maintained five lifeguards on duty, exceeding the staffing levels of the understaffed Texel Rescue Brigade. Catering staff and beach pavilion owners also reported positive interactions, with one café owner noting the students were “considerably less” visible in their establishment compared to previous years.The beach coaches recommended continuing the arrangement, believing improvements were ongoing.
Despite this positive assessment, a majority of the council favored the motion prioritizing lifeguard services that require “no additional efforts, agreements, measures,” effectively ending the partnership with the USW. “the municipality of Texel shoudl not be an education clinic for Utrecht fraternity students,” Dros stated prior to the vote.A proposal from the VVD party to allow for a one-year transition period and subsequent tender process narrowly failed to gain enough support.
A statement released by the USC last week, and presented to the council, failed to sway the decision. The students asserted, “There are no charges, nor convictions, and no reports known to the USW or the municipality,” questioning whether it was appropriate to “collectively brand a group of people as no longer welcome and misogynistic?”
The students emphasized the long-standing relationship, stating that over the past 75 years, “deep friendships have been formed,” and that both Texel and the students had benefited from the exchange. Councilor Eric Hercules (PvdA Pro Texel) noted that the Utrecht students remain free to apply for positions with the Texel Rescue Brigade or the KNRM (Royal Dutch Rescue Company), which are expected to fill the roles previously held by the USW.
Did you know?-The Utrechtsch Studenten Corps (USC) has provided lifeguard services on Texel’s beaches for 75 years, beginning in 1950. The partnership ended due to allegations of sexual misconduct.
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