To be totally baffled (Ched Evans related)

[soapboxqueen]

Just reading in the guardian that Ched Evans has applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to review his case. That's fine because it is part of our due process and legal system.

However, in the article it points out that his girlfriend's father is paying for appeal barristers, private detectives and even offering a reward for information in order to help his appeal. Why would you do that? Why would you put up so much money to protect a person who at best (from their perspective at least) cheated on your daughter in a rather deplorable fashion and at worst a rapist? Why would got want your daughter to be with such a person?

I really don't understand.

I'll see if I can get the link to work.

Who do the rapist Ched Evan's supporters think they are?

every day victim blaming is a good source of information, advice and support

Part of me actually feels a bit sorry for his girlfriend, she must have pretty low self esteem to "forgive" him. Because even if he is innocent (which I don't think he is) he has cheated on her in the most seedy and depraved way possible.

The silly cow needs to grow a backbone and open her eyes.

I think any sympathy a lot of us might have felt for his gf was lost when she hounded the victim on twitter and branded her a liar (as she continues to do).

If it weren't for that i also would have felt sympathy further. She's got some terrible role models in her life. A rapist boyfriend and a rape apologists father to name two.

But my sympathy is solely reserved for the victim of the rape.

I felt pity for the girlfriend at first, before I learned how she and others hounded and verbally abused his victim.

For shame on her. For shame on his family. For shame on him.

Disgusting people.

I made the mistake of looking at the facebook page run by his sister. The comments of the rapist Ched Evan's supporters are disgusting. Talk about harming his cause rather than helping. Has anyone sensible or remotely intelligent come out in support of his claim that there has been a miscarriage of of justice?

I thought the pictures of Ched playing with babies was a nice touch.

It is a pity the complainant cannot sue this witless woman for libel without compromising her anonymity.

Any maybe they should get some snaps of him cuddling kittens too.

Ah yes, the gallery page on the website would be hilarious if it wasn't so pathetic and grim.

Ched celebrating a goal.
Ched on top of a mountain.
Ched in a tender embrace with Natasha.
Ched lovingly cuddling a baby.

Whaddaguy.

Purlease......

Yes chaya funnily enough all of those who think Ched just got (un)lucky do seem to be erm...intellectually challeneged.

I went on the Sheffield Utd FB page the other day and a lot the comments were along the lines of

'She is just a slapper every1 knows Ched is innosent she went back wiv him to a hotel wot did she think thay woz gonna do'

I didn't realise that she'd hounded the victim, any sympathy I had has evaporated.

Maybe people should boycott her fathers businesses?

I have never been to a football match - and I had hoped never to do so (no interest, rugby family) but I wonder how many people would be up for, as someone has suggested, attending matches with eg Rape Crisis banners. And / or demonstrating outside. If Sheffield re-sign him, obviously - and if there is no question of a miscarriage of justice. I wonder how much it would take for the policing to become a real headache...

The SU Facebook page is bizarre.

So many people, men and women, desperate to defend him but contradicting themselves with statements like "He's served his time so he should come back, I hope he clears his name, if he were my son I'd slap him but if she were my daughter I'd slap her even harder."

Well he's either served his time, or he has a name to clear, but not both.

Served his time implies they believe he committed the crime, so he can't clear his name because he's guilty, even after his time is served.

If he has a name to clear, then he hasn't served his time, he's been wrongly imprisoned.

They can't have it both ways, although they seem determined to try.

You cannot account for sheer stupidity, it has to be said

In other news, this is amazing:

linkis.com/www.upworthy.com/Rr2me

Oh 3, do get over yourself. She didn't know that the z list footballer was going to come and rape her, did she. Hardly a plan for getting loadsa money really, is it?

I very much doubt there is enough money to salve the pain people like you seem to want her to endure though, do you?

BrokenButNotFinished

I think there is merit in that.

But to be honest I think going for the sponsors would more effective. I have already contacted one, The copthorne hotel but got no reply.

The website for the hotel has this information on it

"The Copthorne Hotel Sheffield is situated adjacent to Bramall Lane, the home of Sheffield United Football Club. The football club has been based at the stadium since the club’s formation in 1889, making it the oldest professional football ground in England.

The hotel, which was opened in January 2009, is closely associated with the club and accommodates players on match days, hosts sponsors attending matches, and provides accommodation and hospitality before and after matches for visiting teams and fans.

The hotel has a dedicated bar for Sheffield United supporters, Annie’s Bar. The bar is open for all home games and welcomes season ticket holders to enjoy a drink or something to eat before or after the match."

Copthorne/Millenium hotels is a big chain, if we can put pressure on them to withdraw sponsorship it would have an impact.

Maybe every mner should book a hotel room for a given date and if the rapist evans is signed all cancel at once giving the reason that, as a woman, you do not feel safe in a Copthorne because they accommodate a rapist convicted of raping someone in a hotel room, and that as the room he raped in was not even booked in his name.

How can hundreds (thousands?) of men stand there and do that?

And women....

I think the chant gets to the bottom of this particular phenomenon. The point is not that he's innocent. The point is even if he isn't, he should have been allowed to do it, because he's a big important guy, and she is filth.
They have to believe that he (and the other men who play for "their" club) is important and special, because then they can tell themselves they are associated with something important and special, and they need to be able do this because they have rather sad lives. They cannot kid themselves they have any intrinsic importance of their own, because they don't, and will never have it, because they are inadequate.
I think this is what is at the root of all obsessive fan-type behaviour. Nonetheless deplorable for that, of course. and I agree about the hate speech point. Even football has managed to grasp that racist speech is wrong - this should be no different (it will be of course)

Even if you were asked (which the rapist and his friend say didn't happen) could you really say 'no'?

Not true. Evans and McDonald both maintain that the victim was asked and actively consented. They both also maintain that she asked Evans to give her oral sex and actively encouraged him whilst they were having sex. The jury either concluded that she did not consent or that she was too drunk to consent. Since juries don't give their reasoning we don't know which.

The only way there was a rape conviction is because people filmed it

Not true. The attempts to video what was going on in the room did not produce any discernible footage.

the room he raped in was not even booked in his name.

For clarity, Evans booked the room using his own credit card but listed Clayton McDonald as the lead person who would be staying in the room.

Just to repeat, I am not taking Evans' side here.

Evans and McDonald both maintain that the victim was asked and actively consented

That is not what they said in court.