To wonder why so many famous people are publicly supporting...

[ThanksHunkyJesus]

Oritse of JLS fame who has been charged with the rape of a 20 year old fan, along with a friend of his who is accused of assaulting the same woman. Those who have publicly lent their support and well wishes to oritse include aston merrygold (also of jls), Alexandra Burke, Rochelle humes and olly murs amongst plenty of others. Falling over themselves to declare what a lovely guy oritse is.

Am I going mad or did #me too never happen? Why publicly throw your support behind someone who is accused of rape in the current climate? I wouldn't want to speculate whether he's guilty or not - but no consideration at all for the young woman did shock me.

[AnneLovesGilbert]

It’s baffling.

[Tutlefru]

YANBU.

[Notmorewashing]

Sick

[Sparklingbrook]

I guess it's because they are his friends, they believe he is a 'lovely guy' and want to support him?

[areyoubeingserviced]

I was thinking the same thing Op.
Ill advised imho

[Imnotacelebgetmeouttahere]

I thought this earlier.... shocking

[Haworthia]

Because “lovely” guys can’t rape?

I bet social media is full of the usual misogynistic crap about the woman being a slag and “only after money”. Whereas, personally, I’ve never been able to understand how an accusation of rape towards a celeb is supposed to be a money spinner.

[WhatIsThisTomfoolery]

He's been accused or charged?

[MorrisZapp]

I saw various news sources break this on twitter today. The comments were a depressing cesspit. Many of them by women.

[PattiStanger]

As a general question would you support a male friend in a similar position or would you assume he was guilty simply because he'd been accused?

Obviously none of us know what's happened but his friends might know more about it than strangers, time will tell.

[Sparklingbrook]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-45518544

[Fattymcfaterson]

I would assume they are supporting him because they are his friends, whether that sentiment is misguided or not, it is their right to believe their friend.
As many normal people would support their friends

[ThanksHunkyJesus]

Someone at work did say "well what did they (the women) think was going to happen, going back to their hotel?".

I told him that going to a hotel with someone doesn't mean that she consented to sex. Sad that this needs to be explained in 2018.

For everyone who publicly goes on about what a great guy oritse is, it reinforces that a good guy can't possibly be a rapist because look at all these other good guys that we trust (like olly murs) saying that he isn't . Meaning that the credibility of this woman is further called into question and it is shoring up damaging rape myths and making it less likely that a woman raped by a "good guy" will report in the future. They could lend their support privately but they are doing it publicly. Why is that?

[Truckingonandon]

Sadly, the vast majority of people are not quite so enlightened. We live in scary, depressing times.

[VerWrongIca]

Because accused isn’t the same as convicted?

Didn’t the Roxanne Pallett show you anything?

[VerWrongIca]

*Roxanne Pallett incident

[Dickybow321]

I'm wondering if the whole Celebrity Big Brother saga with Roxanne Pallette falsely accusing a man of punching her has caused a backlash against the #metoo movement.

[duskymauve]

He hasn’t ‘simply’ been accused though, he’s been charged with it. If it was one of my friends, I personally would keep silent on social media, and be very disappointed and upset in private.

[ThanksHunkyJesus]

Charged, not accused. So there must be some evidence. And this has no similarities at all to Roxanne pallet.

[Idontbelieveinthemoon]

They could lend their support privately but they are doing it publicly. Why is that?

Because their faith in him as a human trumps any logical thought at this point. Because they're probably assured that 'nice' guys don't commit rape.

What's most shocking of all out of this is that women he knows are coming out in support of him. Women who have potentially experienced assault or awful moments of misogyny are standing there saying he couldn't possibly be a rapist because x, y and z. If women don't believe that 'nice' guys can be rapists, there's no chance of convincing men of the same thing.

[PattiStanger]

Are the dates in the above link correct? Did it happen over 18 months ago? Isn't that a very long time to decide whether anyone will be charged with a crime? That doesn't seem fair on anyone involved.

[Rebecca36]

Because they believe he (& his friend) are not guilty. Like many other cases.

They will eat their hats if he is guilty.
I hope he isn't.

[mrs2468]

I personally wouldn't support publicly if I was a celebrity as it might back fire. However if it was my son and believed he was innocent of course I would. He hasn't been found guilty and whilst he has been charged I think there's been enough rape cases in the press where police or prosecutors made errors and those charged were innocent. I would prefer to judge from facts and a trial rather than speculation via media.

[Firsttimemum892]

Where have people pubicaly supported him ?