I hate the media!

[mrslong]

Not sure if everyone commenting actually watched the report or read the transcript, but most of your attitudes are quite sad. Why do you think that most sexual assault victims don't bother reporting these things? Because they are concerned about how they will be judged! Obviously this is not isolated to the NRL but is a society issue, especially based on the opinion of some here.

Firstly she did report the incident to police 7 years ago, this isn't the first its been publicised. There were 40 statements from the Cronulla players and officials stating that everything was consensual, against her lone statement that it wasn't. The police were unable to proceed with charges, not that they were found innocent, and after struggling to cope she has been granted compensation for PTSD. The police and psych both reported that it was due to this incident. I doubt she would have received payment from the ABC so money is irrelevant.

Why should she not discuss this incident and why should she be investigated? The most she is guilty of is naivety and making a poor decision. On the other hand, these footballers are guilty of a poor attitude to women and possibly sexual assault. I know which one I have the most sympathy for!

Exactly, well said.

 

[Black Philip]

Scotty, put yourself in that situation. You're completely surrounded by 10-15 men who pretty much bash each other for a living. Are you going to scream and kick and punch them? Or are you going to just close your eyes and hope that whatever they do, it's over quickly?

Wtf? Of course I would scream and kick and punch them. And I would hope anyone else in that situation would do the same. If you're being forced into that sort of situation you should do whatever you can to get out of it, not just lie down and take it. It seems ridiculous to me that anyone would just let it happen if they can attempt to do something about it. If you are gagged and held down or something... that's obviously different... but that isn't the case is it? She didn't say "no" or "stop" ONCE for gods sake! Didn't even try!

 

[NPK]

I haven't read the entire thread so this may have been brought up before...who were the other footballers involved in the group sex scandal? It's unfair for only one of the guy to be targeted like this.

 

[schmix]

Wtf? Of course I would scream and kick and punch them. And I would hope anyone else in that situation would do the same. If you're being forced into that sort of situation you should do whatever you can to get out of it, not just lie down and take it. It seems ridiculous to me that anyone would just let it happen if they can attempt to do something about it. If you are gagged and held down or something... that's obviously different... but that isn't the case is it? She didn't say "no" or "stop" ONCE for gods sake! Didn't even try!

Well then you're braver than a lot of people, because I'm sure plenty would think about it and realise there's no way they could overpower a group like that, so would just try and minimise the harm. It's not really that ridiculous.

And you don't know that she didn't say it, or didn't try.

 

[mrslong]

Scotty, put yourself in that situation. You're completely surrounded by 10-15 men who pretty much bash each other for a living. Are you going to scream and kick and punch them? Or are you going to just close your eyes and hope that whatever they do, it's over quickly?

Wtf? Of course I would scream and kick and punch them. And I would hope anyone else in that situation would do the same. If you're being forced into that sort of situation you should do whatever you can to get out of it, not just lie down and take it. It seems ridiculous to me that anyone would just let it happen if they can attempt to do something about it. If you are gagged and held down or something... that's obviously different... but that isn't the case is it? She didn't say "no" or "stop" ONCE for gods sake! Didn't even try!

Seriously? You know this because???

Obviously you're not a female. I sometimes think that if I was in a similar situation I would not be fighting back, I'd just take it. What would be the point, I'd just end up making them hurt me even more.

 

[TLCC]

NPK Matthew Johns and Brett Firman were the two she went to the room with, the others weren't named individually but apparently included team officials. Paul Gallen came in at the end when it was finishing up.

Scotty, did you see the report? You have obviously never been in a position where you have felt intimidated, trapped, scared, confused and definitely never been in a position to be sexually assaulted! One in four women are victims of sexual assault. Will it be your mother, sister, wife or daughter?

mrslong & schmix, totally agree with you both!

 

[Black Philip]

Scotty, put yourself in that situation. You're completely surrounded by 10-15 men who pretty much bash each other for a living. Are you going to scream and kick and punch them? Or are you going to just close your eyes and hope that whatever they do, it's over quickly?

Wtf? Of course I would scream and kick and punch them. And I would hope anyone else in that situation would do the same. If you're being forced into that sort of situation you should do whatever you can to get out of it, not just lie down and take it. It seems ridiculous to me that anyone would just let it happen if they can attempt to do something about it. If you are gagged and held down or something... that's obviously different... but that isn't the case is it? She didn't say "no" or "stop" ONCE for gods sake! Didn't even try!

Seriously? You know this because???

Obviously you're not a female. I sometimes think that if I was in a similar situation I would not be fighting back, I'd just take it. What would be the point, I'd just end up making them hurt me even more.

I'm not sure but I can only assume she didn't.... It would be a pretty friggin crucial part of the story to leave out now wouldn't it? She's come this far to tell her story, if she made an attempt to stop it and they kept going... then it's rape, and that blows this thing wide open. So why the f*ck would she not tell the media that she tried to stop them if she actually did?????

Wtf? Of course I would scream and kick and punch them. And I would hope anyone else in that situation would do the same. If you're being forced into that sort of situation you should do whatever you can to get out of it, not just lie down and take it. It seems ridiculous to me that anyone would just let it happen if they can attempt to do something about it. If you are gagged and held down or something... that's obviously different... but that isn't the case is it? She didn't say "no" or "stop" ONCE for gods sake! Didn't even try!

Well then you're braver than a lot of people, because I'm sure plenty would think about it and realise there's no way they could overpower a group like that, so would just try and minimise the harm. It's not really that ridiculous.

And you don't know that she didn't say it, or didn't try.

No it really is that ridiculous IMO. How anyone could just let themselves get raped without a struggle is beyond me. In that situation you don't know what the harm could inevitably be anyway, and you should respect yourself enough to do everything you possibly can do to stop it.

And yeah, I don't know if she said no or didn't try, but as I said to mrslong, why the hell would she keep that to herself at this stage???

TLCC don't make those assumptions about my past, you don't even f*cking know me. [icon_non

Look this is all specualtion on my behalf just like everyone else. But IMO it seems a little bit too dodgy. I can't say one way or the other but my guess is that she made a mistake and just feels bad about it now.

 

[gUt]

A little side note of no consequence really, but how are the Sharks feeling right now? On top of being practically broke and at the bottom of the table, they are now associated with this.

 

[mrslong]

No it really is that ridiculous IMO. How anyone could just let themselves get raped without a struggle is beyond me. In that situation you don't know what the harm could inevitably be anyway, and you should respect yourself enough to do everything you possibly can do to stop it.

There are some fundamental differences between men and women, and as a man you would never understand what it is like to be a woman. There would be no point for a woman to fight back against 1 man, let alone 10-15, it would just cause her further injuries. I can understand a woman just taking it and getting the hell out of there, and it has nothing to do with self respect and everything to do with survival.

 

[Black Philip]

I would have thought survival instincts would tell you to fight back. It's common sense to me. And there are loads of women out there who would. Also, if you fight back there is more evidence of them assaulting you, so surely there is some incentive to put up a struggle

 

[Nashy]

Honestly, I feel very sorry for Matthew Johns if he loses his job.
He doesn't deserver to lose his job and career for something which happened 7 years ago which regardless of how pathetic it was wasn't illegal. SEVEN YEARS..... FFS, people change inside out, my older brother 7 years ago was the biggest **** around, now he's a completely different man. Honestly so many things change in 7 years, just because Johns did this 7 years ago, it doesn't mean he engages in this now he's older and more mature now and shouldn't be punished for a mistake he made 7 years ago.

How long ago was it?

 

[mrslong]

Now the Storm have dumped him, as weird as it sounds I think that's unfair. He hasn't acted in a publicity capacity as a clown for them. Hmmmm. Agree with removing him from Channel 9/ not as a coaching director for the Storm.

 

[TLCC]

Sorry to upset you Scotty, but I guess survival instincts are different for men and women. I will ask again though, did you actually watch the report?

 

[schmix]

I would have thought survival instincts would tell you to fight back. It's common sense to me. And there are loads of women out there who would. Also, if you fight back there is more evidence of them assaulting you, so surely there is some incentive to put up a struggle

Scotty it's just not that simple. I think fighting back is probably the best option, but I have no idea whether I'd actually do it. In that situation you're going to try and protect yourself, but how you do that is not often a rational choice. It's instinctive and adrenalin-based. Some will lash out and do everything they can to get out, others will totally shut down and try to minimise the harm. The first is probably more likely to do physical harm, and the latter emotional harm.

I don't know if you've ever been in a situation like this, and don't expect you to tell us, but I honestly believe you can't say how you would react until you have.

Re. the Storm dumping, I'm surprised because last I heard they were standing by him. I wouldn't have called for him to be sacked, but I guess it's up to them. If they feel his involvement is damaging to their brand, then fair enough I suppose.

 

[rissi_gurl]

Scotty, put yourself in that situation. You're completely surrounded by 10-15 men who pretty much bash each other for a living. Are you going to scream and kick and punch them? Or are you going to just close your eyes and hope that whatever they do, it's over quickly?

Wtf? Of course I would scream and kick and punch them. And I would hope anyone else in that situation would do the same. If you're being forced into that sort of situation you should do whatever you can to get out of it, not just lie down and take it. It seems ridiculous to me that anyone would just let it happen if they can attempt to do something about it. If you are gagged and held down or something... that's obviously different... but that isn't the case is it? She didn't say "no" or "stop" ONCE for gods sake! Didn't even try!

Seriously? You know this because???

Obviously you're not a female. I sometimes think that if I was in a similar situation I would not be fighting back, I'd just take it. What would be the point, I'd just end up making them hurt me even more.

+ 1

I can understand what your trying to say Scotty but to be fair you really need to view this from a females perspective.

 

[Black Philip]

Sorry to upset you Scotty, but I guess survival instincts are different for men and women. I will ask again though, did you actually watch the report?

Yeah I watched the report online. It was disturbing but I also felt it was very biased reporting.

I would have thought survival instincts would tell you to fight back. It's common sense to me. And there are loads of women out there who would. Also, if you fight back there is more evidence of them assaulting you, so surely there is some incentive to put up a struggle

Scotty it's just not that simple. I think fighting back is probably the best option, but I have no idea whether I'd actually do it. In that situation you're going to try and protect yourself, but how you do that is not often a rational choice. It's instinctive and adrenalin-based. Some will lash out and do everything they can to get out, others will totally shut down and try to minimise the harm. The first is probably more likely to do physical harm, and the latter emotional harm.

I don't know if you've ever been in a situation like this, and don't expect you to tell us, but I honestly believe you can't say how you would react until you have.

Obviously I'm in a different frame of mind about this than you are but in that situation I know my instinct would be to struggle and fight. I personally can't comprehend how someone could just let it happen without trying to stop it... but thats just me.

Unfortunately from the females perspective in this case there is no evidence to say it was against her will, so there won't be any justice IF there was any wrong doing.

 

[mrslong]

It certainly was a Rugby League witch hunt, no denying that.

 

[The Brizz]

TBH I don't see the point in having an argument about whether individually you would fight back if hypothetically you were sexually set upon. She didn't say no so what they did was not illegal but the more I think about it at the very least Johns needed to be sacked from all on air commitments (keeping him behind the scenes if they don't want to sack him completely) what he and the others involved did was terrible and 7 years or not it has now tarnished the game yet again and the code can't have its television coverage headed by someone who has fueled the fire. I feel sorry for his family and for her but the more I look at it the more Johns (and whomever acted with him) disgust me, he doesn't deserve the privilege of working in a high profile position within the game just like guys in the game that do these things like Thaiday, Boyd and Hunt can feel lucky they still have a job.