A medical student at KU Leuven who was convicted of rape earlier this year has been barred from finishing his training as a gynaecologist and obstetrician, the university announced on Friday.
The disciplinary process against the student has now concluded, and he has chosen not to appeal the decision.
According to KU Leuven, he could pursue a different medical specialty in the future but would need to apply for a specialisation programme starting in the 2026-2027 academic year.
After his conviction in early April, the university immediately suspended him and initiated the disciplinary procedure.
The incident occurred during the night of 8-9 November 2023. The accused, identified as R.V., met the victim on a street in Leuven.
The victim accompanied R.V. to his home, where sexual contact occurred. While R.V. claimed it was a consensual one-night stand, the victim described the experience as traumatic and characterised it as rape.
Protestors gathered early Friday evening in Brussels to denounce the absence of penal sanctions against a gynaecology student from Leuven, who was found guilty by the court on Tuesday of raping a young woman. Credit: Belga
The Leuven Correctional Court found R.V. guilty of both rape and indecent assault. However, his sentence was suspended on the grounds of his "favourable personality", with the judge citing his professional promise as a gynaecology student.
The court acknowledged that he had "crossed the boundaries of what is acceptable" but granted leniency to avoid jeopardising his future societal position.
This verdict ignited national outrage and prompted student protests across multiple cities. Protesters accused the court of "classism" and bemoaned what they argued was effective impunity for the crime.
Prominent influencer Acid entered the debate by publishing a video revealing R.V.’s full name, which the judiciary later ordered him to take down.
