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Feminism: chat

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Gazza sexual assault trial

67 replies

Stillmuddlingthrough · 17/10/2019 13:21

What a gross individual - admitted he kissed her to cheer her up. That's ok then it seems!?!

OP posts:

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Gertrudesgarden · 17/10/2019 13:24

She didn't want to be kissed by him, yet she's just been told that her wishes are irrelevant.

Grand.

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VictoriaSpongeAndTea · 17/10/2019 13:42

It seems to amount to it not being regarded as sexual assault because she was fat. Does bode too well for the rest of us fat ladies [anger]

And a history of repeatedly ignoring women's boundaries shouldn't give him a free pass by law.

Wtf is wrong with the law these days, it's been widely established rape and sexual assault are a lot more about power, specifically male power, and not so much about sexual desire.

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VictoriaSpongeAndTea · 17/10/2019 13:43

Doesn't (sigh)

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PlasticPatty · 17/10/2019 13:46

Stuck his food-encrusted mouth over hers because she was a 'fat lass' and therefore should be grateful and encouraged by it.

I can't say any more. It would count as a personal attack on PG.

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MockersthefeMANist · 17/10/2019 13:47

Wrong charge. D&D and common assault and he's bang to rights.

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truthisarevolutionaryact · 17/10/2019 15:49

So women have to accept that any strange old creep can kiss them on the lips and there's nothing they can do about it? She must accept his wish to kiss a stranger matters more than her right to object?

What a world.

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getupgonow · 17/10/2019 15:49

This is why the reporting/conviction rates for sexual assault are so low. Absolutely disgusting.

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VickyEadieofThigh · 17/10/2019 15:52

Gazza really is beyond the pale. An astonishingly gifted footballer, his addiction to alcohol has almost destroyed him.

Of course it was a sexual assault. And using the notion that she was "fat" so he 'didn't really fancy her (a) is a bit rich coming from someone in the state he's in, (b) ignores the simple fact that 'sexual attraction' is not really the issue in sexual assault cases.

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Seeingadistance · 17/10/2019 17:09

Have just heard this on the news and am shocked and disgusted by the verdict. Of course it was equal and of course it was forceful!

Ffs!

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Seeingadistance · 17/10/2019 17:10

Not equal, sexual!

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ScreamingValenta · 17/10/2019 17:14

It really annoyed me that the woman being fat was used as an excuse.

As if it couldn't possibly have been sexually motivated, because she was fat and unattractive, and kissing her was an act of kindness to 'boost her confidence'.

His motives don't stop this being unwanted contact of an intimate nature.

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PlasticPatty · 17/10/2019 17:18

@ScreamingValenta Absolutely.

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PlasticPatty · 17/10/2019 17:21

My understanding, prior to this, is that sexual assault does not depend on the intention of the perpetrator. A man who grabbed my breasts would still have committed a sexual assault even if he was remembering the comfort he had from his mother as a breastfed infant. So why is this different? It makes me angry.

Almost as angry as the case where some bloke tripped, and his penis fell, unbidden, into a woman's vagina.

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Melroses · 17/10/2019 17:32

Presumably if some drunken 'fat lass' should feel it necessary to cheer him up by slobbering over his mouth when he is on the train, no charges would be brought?

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happydappy2 · 17/10/2019 17:40

The report I heard claimed she had been verbally abused, he was then trying to boost her confidence by kissing her.....err so she was verbally abused then sexually assaulted but just has to accept that! Madness

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Girliefriendlikescake · 17/10/2019 17:40

I can't believe this verdict, talk about victim blaming/shaming 😡 apparently we should all be fine with getting unwanted kisses from Gazza 🤢

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nellodee · 17/10/2019 17:47

This really brought home for my husband the fact that men can do pretty much anything to women and get away with it. For him, this was not a good realisation, but how many other men have taken a different message from this result?

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Awaywiththepiskies · 17/10/2019 18:10

She didn't want to be kissed by him, yet she's just been told that her wishes are irrelevant

And in other news ...

Caroline Farrell and Kate Scottow are facing up to 6 months in gaol for "misgendering" a transwoman.

Because that is literal violence. As opposed to sexual harassment of actual women which isn't criminal at all.

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Fatshedra · 17/10/2019 18:21

I hope the woman appeals - being slobbered over by a drunk middle aged git sounds pretty horrific to me.

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gluteustothemaximus · 17/10/2019 18:26

I don't know what's worse. The verdict, or the comments afterwards. Like:

'This metoo movement has gone too far, you can't even look at a woman now'

'Good. Now prosecute the woman'

'Stupid money grabbing slag, after her 5 minutes of fame'

And such like.

It's too depressing to read any more.

What with that and the rape case in Aiya Napa. I just despair.

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YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 17/10/2019 18:29

So, if she had punched him in the nuts, would that be assault or sexual assault? Because that is what I would have done.

The whole thing has been bloody depressing. I can't believe we are listening to defence statements like 'he's just tactile'.

Whether or not he had any sexual intention, it was a sexual assault.

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truthisarevolutionaryact · 17/10/2019 18:32

Fatshedra
I don't think she can appeal - she was a witness for the prosecution and evidently a jury believed his (female) barrister who argued that kissing a stranger on the lips was not a sexual assault.
Why on earth should women put themselves through all the stress and humiliation of appearing in court when juries condone this behaviour. It's appalling. That poor woman - not only was she sexually assaulted by this gross individual but she had to see him grandstanding outside the court about all the stress this caused him.

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BlueRaincoat1 · 17/10/2019 19:43

I couldn't believe this verdict, are there any criminal lawyers posting who can shed some light on how kissing her on the mouth against her will wasn't sexual assault? Can 'i didn't fancy her, I was trying to make her feel better' seriously constitute a successful defence argument against sexual assault? I am stunned if so.

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BlueRaincoat1 · 17/10/2019 19:50

s78 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003:

”touching or any other activity is sexual if a reasonable person would consider that –

whatever its circumstances or any person’s purpose in relation to it, it is because of its nature sexual, orbecause of its nature it may be sexualand because of its circumstances of the purpose of any person in relation to it (or both) it is sexual.”

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SonicVersusGynaephobia · 17/10/2019 19:53

I too am enraged by this.

So all those groups of drunken yobs on the train that gravitate towards a lone female and don't leave her alone can now do what they like to her and then say "it's not sexual, she's fat, I don't fancy her, I was just trying to make her feel better". And our justice system agrees that it fine.