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Vera Pauw, who is now Ireland’s coach, said on social media that she was raped by a Dutch football federation official and sexually assaulted by two officials when she was a young footballer in her country.
“For 35 years I hid a secret from the world, from my family, from my teammates, from my players, from my colleagues and, now I admit, from myself”, began by saying the 59-year-old coach.
“Even those closest to me are unaware of the rape I suffered at the hands of a prominent football official when I was a young player. Later, two men, then federation employees, also sexually abused me. Only people I trust know about this systematic sexual abuse, abuse of power, bullying, intimidation and isolation that I was exposed to as a player and as a coach of the Dutch federation,” she added.
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