Texel breaks with 75-year-old tradition, opts for beach surveillance without Utrecht corps members

Texel's beaches will no longer be patrolled by lifeguards from the Utrecht Student Corps (USC) this summer for the first time in 75 years. The Texel municipal council decided this Wednesday evening. Nine of the fifteen council members voted in favor of a motion by GroenLinks, PvdA Pro Texel, D66 and CDA to stop working with the Utrechtsch Studenten Werkkamp (USW), part of the Utrecht student association, due to reports of sexually transgressive behavior.

Since 1950, beach crossings on Texel have been guarded for nine weeks during the summer season by members of the Utrecht Rescue Corps, and since 1980, in collaboration with volunteers from the Texel Lifeguard Brigade. The Rescue Brigade monitors the tourist beach crossings on the north of the island, while the coastguards (or "Bademeisters," as they call them) of the Utrecht Rescue Corps guard the southern beaches. The students spend nine weeks overnight in a barn near the tourist village of De Koog.

The USW came under fire after council member Jacquelien Dros (GreenLeft) heard a story about a young woman being raped by Utrecht students in the summer of 2022. Three more victims of sexual misconduct later came forward. Dros, a former general practitioner on the island, compiled old anecdotes and recent experiences of Texel residents about the students in a "black book."

Points system

Including the AD and NRC Earlier this year, they wrote about student misconduct on the island. They allegedly used a points system where "every sexual encounter" earned points. And about fifteen years ago, a resident of the barn where the USW students stayed allegedly witnessed them performing sexual acts on a sheep.

Taxi drivers received instructions from the municipality not to drive women to the barn anymore

Last summer, the municipality of Texel took additional measures. A vice detective visited the students at the start of the beach season for an interview. The code of conduct that the students were required to sign stipulated , among other things, that they would no longer receive "nighttime visitors" in the shed. Taxi drivers were instructed by the municipality not to drive women to the shed. The students were assigned two experienced lifeguards as coaches, and their performance was evaluated.

The evaluation, published in September, is largely positive about the USW lifeguards. They have "grown into their role as helpers" and have provided first aid on the island several times outside of their regular duties. Unlike the Texel Lifeguard Brigade, which was understaffed, five lifeguards were continuously present at the USW stations.

Hospitality security personnel reported no incidents, and beach pavilion owners were also positive. According to the owner of Café Sjans in De Koog, "the gentlemen" were "considerably less present in the café" compared to previous years and were leaving earlier. Despite "a lot of attention from women," they continued to "act within the guidelines." The beach coaches are also satisfied and advise the municipality "to keep up the good work because things can only get better."

Deep friendships

Nevertheless, a majority of the council voted Wednesday evening in favor of the motion prioritizing a lifeguard service that requires "no additional staffing, agreements, or measures," as is the case with the USW. "The municipality of Texel should not be a parenting center for Utrecht fraternity students," said Dros, one of the motion's initiators, in a telephone conversation before the council meeting. A motion by the VVD party proposing a transitional year with the USW and a subsequent tender process narrowly missed the majority.

The letter sent to the council by Utrecht's corps members last week failed to change their minds. "There are no reports, convictions, or other reports known to the USW or the municipality," the USW wrote. "Surely, then, you can't collectively brand a group of people as unwelcome and unfriendly to women?"

Over the past 75 years, "deep friendships have been formed," according to the students. "Texel has learned from the students, and the students have learned from Texel."

Councillor Eric Hercules (PvdA Pro Texel) noted during the council meeting that Utrecht students are free to apply to the Texel Lifeguard Brigade or the KNRM (Royal Dutch Sea Rescue Institution), which will likely take over the positions of the USWs.