Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Val McDermid, what a woman!

38 replies

viques · 02/02/2022 11:19

Val McDermid is a longtime supporter and sponsor of Raith football club. She has withdrawn her support -and her money - from the club because they have recently signed a man with a conviction for rape, despite assurances to her from the Chair that they wouldnt.

The brave woman he and another player raped , Denise Clair, had to take out a private prosecution and give up her right to anonymity to secure the conviction.

I am so pleased that so many people are supporting Val and the stand she is making.

She was interviewed on Woman’s Hour today 2.2.22, the last item .

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Ginger1982 · 09/02/2022 19:51

He has also never paid a penny of the compensation the court awarded.

Rhannion · 03/02/2022 23:50

The Mermaids Singing is the one that has the trans woman as a serial killer, funny how Val doesn’t get any murder threats about that.

KimikosNightmare · 03/02/2022 18:45

@FredBair

I hope she doesn't reinstate her support to a club who thought that was ok until it cost them money. *@Jux* I've read a few of her books, crime /thrillers a bit on the violent side. There are several series featuring different cops. I would start with a later one and the first of the series, try The Distant Echo.
A friend warned me off McDermid years ago as one of her books had something awful which once read, could not be unread. I think it was The Mermaids Singing which involves, apparently, torture of people and animals.

She has done the right thing here but unless you particularly like torture porn McDermid's well enough off already.

Rhannion · 03/02/2022 18:18

@Jux

Thanks. I hope she doesn't reinstate her support either. I haven't actually bought the book yet!
Just to let you know that Val is firmly in the TWAW camp and a pal of Sturgeon.
Jux · 03/02/2022 17:51

Thanks. I hope she doesn't reinstate her support either. I haven't actually bought the book yet!

FredBair · 03/02/2022 17:23

I hope she doesn't reinstate her support to a club who thought that was ok until it cost them money.
@Jux I've read a few of her books, crime /thrillers a bit on the violent side. There are several series featuring different cops. I would start with a later one and the first of the series, try The Distant Echo.

Jux · 03/02/2022 17:16

Which one of her books do people recommend I buy, I haven't read her at all, but I'll support her like this.

NutsOhHazelnuts · 03/02/2022 13:56

They've realised that they will miss her sponsorship, have they? (Cynical)

Hestyo · 03/02/2022 13:49

Translation: we focused too much on football matters and didn't realise that the people who provide our revenue might actually object to a rapist - who has never expressed any remorse - being paid stupid money and being seen as a role model by little boys, and that those people might just withdraw the funds if we flagrantly ignored their objections.

Hypatia415 · 03/02/2022 13:35

Good for her. Wish more people would take a principled stand.

PronounssheRa · 03/02/2022 12:55

@JuneOsborne

Well, they've said he won't play. Wondering if they still have to pay him though!
They are looking at cancelling his contract that will, I imagine, mean they will have to pay him ££
JuneOsborne · 03/02/2022 12:55

This is the statement...

Val McDermid, what a woman!
JuneOsborne · 03/02/2022 12:54

Well, they've said he won't play. Wondering if they still have to pay him though!

Original poster
viques · 03/02/2022 12:33

Just read that the RR Chair has apologised, they are looking into cancelling the rapists contract!

OP posts:
TheMarzipanDildo · 03/02/2022 08:38

@Igmum

I think the recent figures were worse - 1.6% of rapes resulted in charges being brought. Charges. Not all charges will result in convictions. There are no words for how appalling this is.
Shock
Igmum · 03/02/2022 07:56

I think the recent figures were worse - 1.6% of rapes resulted in charges being brought. Charges. Not all charges will result in convictions. There are no words for how appalling this is.

TheMarzipanDildo · 03/02/2022 00:47

*do NOT!

TheMarzipanDildo · 03/02/2022 00:46

I think it’s 98% of rapes that do lead to conviction. Which is insane.

jessieminto · 02/02/2022 18:21

The player hasn't shown remorse or understanding. He claimed in court that the only thing he did wrong was leave after having sex, rather than stay the night. He has stated that if he had stayed, when she woke she would not have felt worried and disoriented and then thought she was raped, as she would have seen him and remembered what had happened.

He gave no explanation for where her clothes were and why every single item of clothing she was wearing just disappeared, as did the two men who raped her. She woke alone, naked, in a strange house in an area far from home and unknown to her. With no recollection of the night before but very clear signs of sexual assault and in pain. Hmmm.... but he just needed to have stayed the night to make that go away?

heelforheelandtoefortoe · 02/02/2022 18:18

is this the guy who says he only lost the civil case because he didn't realise he needed to reply or something like that?

or am I thinking of someone else?

ClariceQuiff · 02/02/2022 18:11

I've always admired Val McDermid - well done to her for making this stand.

Original poster
viques · 02/02/2022 14:34

@madisonbridges

But if he showed regret for raping her, he'd be admitting raping her and opening himself up to a police prosecution. Obviously, that's even if he's the sort of person who does feel any remorse.

I get fully that footballers are sort of role models but footballers do all sorts of disgusting behaviour that is undesirable for youngsters to follow and they never get dropped from teams, not even the national team, for that. If you say that some jobs are to be held to a different standard than others, how do you define which fall into which category. Is it right that he's not allowed to be a footballer where he'll mostly come into contact with men, but it's OK for him to do admin work in a large company where he'll be with lots more women.
It's not that I have sympathy with him or think that they should employ him. Ched Evans was eventually acquitted of rape but his actions that night were still totally disgusting. I loathe that he still plays professional football, but should he be banned when he has no conviction against him?
I just never find these things so black and white.

Yes, unsavoury as it sounds, and probably nigh on impossible to enforce but some jobs should be held to a different and higher moral standard than others, in fact we already do this for teaching and many other public office roles, financial services, medical provision and other professional employment though not always consistently - which is another issue.

IMO football and other sporting roles should be included because sportspeople have very high profiles among young very impressionable people, especially young boys. They are often portrayed as successful people with extravagant lifestyles, style, and material wealth , seen by young people as desirable attributes to emulate . Unfortunately if this is accompanied by irresponsible and entitled behaviour, in this example negative and damaging attitudes towards women , then the line between what is acceptable and not acceptable can be confusing to young minds . It’s ok to own a super car costing a quarter of a million pounds, it is not ok to drive it in a way that endangers other people. It is ok to have a drink in a nightclub with a pretty girl it is not ok to assume that she wants to come back to your hotel room and have sex with you and your team mates.

Many professional footballers are only a few years older than their fans, they need to be helped to realise that they have a unique standing in the eyes of many young people, the way they behave sends messages that go further than the turnstiles at the football ground.

OP posts:
Hestyo · 02/02/2022 13:58

I really admire the women's team for making a stand here.
The fact that he wasn't found guilty in a court of law means nothing to me. Rape convictions are so disgustingly low that the vast majority of rapists never see the inside of a court. Those that do are generally let off. When the system fails women again and again, they have to make their own fight.