Val Mcdermid

[Meceme]

Val Mcdermid has been a life long supporter and major sponsor of Raith Rovers football club. Today she severed her connection and withdrew support in protest at the club signing a player previously found guilty of rape in a civil case. The police had previously not prosecuted as they felt there was not enough evidence.

Sorry I dont know how to do links but the story is easily searchable.

Standing up against violence against women.

Also the captain of the RR women's team has resigned and the First Minister has tweeted her support of both.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-60214769.amp

I have been following this all day. I work in PR and we were just debating what we'd be advising RR right now and could only come up with - don't fucking sign a rapist in the first place!

How they can still not have formulated any kind of response yet is beyond me. Although I see a few people have left the board.

I think the changing response to these things is in direct response to the justice system's failure to prosecute rapists in any meaningful numbers (or in any numbers at all really). Although DG was found not guilty at the time, we know more now and simply don't believe it any more when a man escapes justice.

On VM, I think she was one of the signatorise of a letter professing their support for 'inclusion' after JKR said that, y'know, women are women, so I am on the fence regarding her. Glad she has spoken up in this instance though.

I was disappointed with VMs response to the JKR pile on. I would have hoped she would support a fellow author/woman receiving abuse at this level even if she didn't agree with her on the gender issue but I'm glad to see her standing against sex based violence. Her profile will ensure this gets reported.

@IKeptYouLikeAnOath

I have been following this all day. I work in PR and we were just debating what we'd be advising RR right now and could only come up with - don't fucking sign a rapist in the first place!

How they can still not have formulated any kind of response yet is beyond me. Although I see a few people have left the board.

I think the changing response to these things is in direct response to the justice system's failure to prosecute rapists in any meaningful numbers (or in any numbers at all really). Although DG was found not guilty at the time, we know more now and simply don't believe it any more when a man escapes justice.

On VM, I think she was one of the signatorise of a letter professing their support for 'inclusion' after JKR said that, y'know, women are women, so I am on the fence regarding her. Glad she has spoken up in this instance though.

It looks like the club's statement this afternoon is just doubling down on their decision - basically "we know about his background but he's a goal scorer so we stand behind our decision". Unbelievable.

Surprisingly the Club stand by their decision

www.raithrovers.net/52429/club-statement-10.htm

The timing of this decision is unbelievable. I think there is a very problematic attitude towards women in professional football that goes beyond Raith Rovers.

One Premier League footballer is due to go on trial later this year accused of attacking five women between October 2020 and August 2021. Another has been charged with sexual assault. The former has been suspended but the latter was reported to be a target for several clubs in the transfer window that has just closed. In addition, there are many reports of fixers arranging women to come to hotels and other venues.

Val McDermid has written a letter opposing the Hate Crime Bill in Scotland. She is (was?) close enough to JKR to invite her to her wedding. They also used to meet up to watch Susan Calman on Strictly as they all lived in Edinburgh but I don't know if things have changed.

Whatever the exact state of the friendship now, Val McDermid certainly deserves support for her decision today.

Wow that statement is awful. Basically, we know what he did but he'll likely score goals for us, and so we consider him part of the family?!

Jesus Christ.

Can’t believe the statement from Raith Rovers. Awful.

2 of the club’s directors have resigned. The announcer has resigned. The women’s team captain has resigned. They’ve lost a massive sponsor.

@IKeptYouLikeAnOath I have literally read that statement over and over tonight and can't believe what I've read.
Having very close ties to Raith Rovers I'm absolutely disgusted by their actions.
Football above Morals

OMG That statement. Unbelievable. Just not getting it at all. Who the fuck is advising them?

Half their board, their women's captain, two staff members, their biggest champion and sponsor, their fan base and of course a woman who was raped - all collateral damage but that's OK, he scores goals and is faaaaaaamily.

Fucking disgusting. I mean, it was always disgusting, but this statement has re-enraged me.

So many are speaking up against this and Raith are standing by their decision?
I was very proud of VM. She is a lifelong and staunch supporter of Raith Rovers and this must be hurting her badly that they would do such a thing.

There’s hopefully going to be a protest at Stark’s Park on Saturday if anyone is interested. The game kicks off at 3.

He's a proven goal scorer.

He's a proven rapist ffs!

They should be banned from competing if they're happy to sign sexual predators.

Their statement is ridiculous. The part about rebuilding trust makes zero sense. If they believe they’re doing nothing wrong then what trust do they have to rebuild?

Either rape and violence against women is a serious crime or it isn’t. I guess the club takes the latter view. I hardly think if the guy had hurt a child or murdered someone he’d be getting this chance. But attacking women seems to be forgivable.

‘ proven goal scorer' ah well, that’s all that matters
Why a bunch of shits.

BBC article

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-60214769

Either rape and violence against women is a serious crime or it isn’t

He hasn't been found guilty in a criminal court "The striker was ruled to be a rapist and ordered to pay damages in a civil case in 2017"

BBC article on the 2017 civil ruling against Goodwillie and Robertson
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-38651041

I am very glad that McDermids actions are being widely reported (9th most read story on BBC website at the moment, with Greenwood's further arrest as 2nd)

Society needs to work out better ways of socialising young men not to be creeps. And kicking them out of football is a good step

Gordon brown is a RR supporter too, isn't he? I wonder if he'll comment.

According to the Beeb, Goodwillie also has two conversations cations for assault.

Nicola Sturgeon and Gordon Brown have both spoken out:

• Sturgeon 'The fact they're in this position [needing to end association with the club] at all reminds us that our society still has a way to go to make zero tolerance of sexual violence a reality."
• Brown "cannot support this signing", adding that he condemned rape and all violence against women.

And from newly resigned director and former chairman of the club "How could I go out and speak to people in the community with young daughters, girls, boys, whatever and say 'we're a great community club, come in and join us' - it just wasn't going to work."

We don't live far away and my son and his friends sometime go to the games. Not any more. Won't be getting my money.

Spoken with my son about it and asked his view. He doesn't want to give the club his money either.

@TheSpottedZebra he has already. Saying that he can't support this signing as he condemns rape and violence against women

Raping women is fine so long as you can score goals… what a crazy shitty and shortsighted message to send to the world.

Mind have we all forgotten that Ronaldo is also accused of rape?

Absolutely disgusting. I have no words. They played tonight and I was gutted more fans didn’t boycott and hit them where it hurts. I’m involved with grass roots Scottish football and wondering if I can drum up some support to ban all associations with RR through them. Our boys need to grow up to reject such behaviours.

@meditrina

According to the Beeb, Goodwillie also has two conversations cations for assault.

Nicola Sturgeon and Gordon Brown have both spoken out:

• Sturgeon 'The fact they're in this position [needing to end association with the club] at all reminds us that our society still has a way to go to make zero tolerance of sexual violence a reality."
• Brown "cannot support this signing", adding that he condemned rape and all violence against women.

And from newly resigned director and former chairman of the club "How could I go out and speak to people in the community with young daughters, girls, boys, whatever and say 'we're a great community club, come in and join us' - it just wasn't going to work."

The community club angle is (was?) really important to Raith - I know at least two season-ticket holding Old Firm supporters who 'switched' their spending (if not their full allegiance) to RR when they had kids, for a variety of reasons.

Mind you, I would have said the same thing of Clyde, so ya know. What do I know.

Big up Val McDermid. Good for her, her sponsorship is high profile and presumably worth a lot of money. For her to withdraw that money was I hope an easy decision, but being a fan of a small club myself another wuestion is inevitably going to be who will replace her? I truly hope nobody does, and this footballer is sent away to quietly retire. No right minded chairman should sign a rapist.

There's a petition being shared: https://www.change.org/p/raith-rovers-football-club-remove-david-goodwillie-from-raith-rovers-and-re-establish-the-team-as-a-family-club?recruiter=false&utmsource=shareepetition&utmmedium=facebook&utmmcampaign=psfcombooshareinitial&recruiteddbyid=f0a604d1-83a4-11ec-90e7-75681f11e0e4&utmm_content=fht-32228814-en-gb%3A0