Mumsnet, will you tell the woman that Ched Evans raped, that We Believe Her? And call upon the FA to kick sexism out of football?

[BasilFoulEggs]

Dear Mumsnet
As you are no doubt aware, there has been the most extraordinary hate campaign waged this week by some football fans, against a rape victim in the wake of the Ched Evans Guilty Verdict.

The jist of the hatespeak, has been that a drunk woman has no right to expect the basic human right of not having her body penetrated without her active participation in that sexual act, or even her passive consent. Presumably because men (or at least footballers and their friends) have the right to penetrate women who are incapable of consent. And that if a man rapes you, it is because you are a slut, a slag and all the other hate-speak words used to de-humanise women and make it easier for people not to empathise with us when we are abused.

This week has seen the really ugly spectacle, of a bunch of men asserting their right to rape women, handmaidens supporting that right and both of them sending out a clear warning to all other rape victims, to know what to expect if they dare to pursue justice if they are raped.

If there had been a similar outpouring of hatred against any other historically oppressed group, the rest of the media would have been tearing their hair out analysing why some men hated this group so much, where the hatred came from, why it existed, what could be done about it; but ironically apart from the Daily Fail, there has been very little comment in response to the Twitter hate-campaign. If Twitter had buzzed with indignation at the jailing of the man who posted hate-speak about Fabrice Muamba, I?ve no doubt that the FA would have tracked down the posters and banned them from football matches. Because they?re busy kicking racism out of football. Sexism, though, is fine. They can give a bloody award to a convicted rapist, while their supporters conduct what must be a terrifying hate campaign against his teenage victim? right now, football fans don?t look all that much better than the Taliban, do they?

Mumsnet, will you use the voice you have against this horrible hate campaign? Will you tell the woman that Ched Evans raped, that We Believe Her? Will you ask the FA to state publicly, that they too, believe her and that in future, they will work as hard to kick sexism out of football, as they do to kick racism out?

Thank You.

[Wumpsadaisy]

I believe her. She is a brave young lady who deserves support. Can't believe there are so many ugly, hateful people out there who think otherwise.

[mightycheeks]

I believe her.

[StateofConfusion]

I believe her

[FrenchJunebug]

I believe you. Be strong.

[RebeccaMumsnet]

Hi all,

The continued thread is HERE

[missismac]

and Thankyou AJ'sDaddy for your beautiful and heartfelt post. I wish mumsnet had an 'applaud' smiley - I'd be using it now if it did.

[MrGin]

I believe her

[HappyJustToBe]

I'm agog reading that article. Comments like most women wouldn't say no to Evans anyway are absurd and I hope that Liam Elvish has his political career halted very fast. Talk about not having a clue.

[Tiago]

I believe her too.

Evans is a rapist. Comments suggesting it was his victims fault are disgusting.

[missismac]

I believe her

[AJsDaddy]

I've been a footy fan all my life. In my 42 years I have followed a particular team from the prem league, as well as following a local welsh team. Not only do I follow these 2 teams religiously but I am also a fan of the game in general. As I grew up (especially with my mum and dad allowing me to stay up late on a Sat eve to watch MOTD when I was a tot!) I saw certain footballers who became my idols including George Best, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, etc. I also saw players such as Terry Yorath, Tommy Smith, the 70's Italy international team, etc who were classed as hard players. I watched cheats such as jurgen klinsmann (who later became more a figure of fun for his imitation of his own diving antics), even players like Ronaldo in his early Man U days who later droppped his roll overs and became the legend he is now. I saw Eric C kick out at a fan in '95 (both sides were stupid in this case). However, although I saw players such as these, I also knew that these players did whatever they did in the matches, NOT in their private lives. Yes I know some 'stars' have abused their position by doing things they shouldnt (all you need do is look at the recent Giggsy/Imogen scandal) and other 'stars' getting involved in other 'bad' situations. It seems though, in the case of Ched Evans, that the status of 'football star' has been abused to the point of disgracing the game to its max.
I am Welsh through and through and, up to this point, and thanks to the wonderful potential shown by late manager Gary Speed, I believed Ched Evans was becoming an excellent player for the future. However, I am now loathe to call him Welsh. I am loathe to call him a 'star' and I am loath to connect him to the 'beautiful game' I have loved for so long. In abusing his status he has believed he could get away with this (maybe he is related to John Terry and Ashley Cole who seem to be getting away with everything such as racism and carrying a shotgun in training).
This poor girl was drunk. She was in a state which couldnt possibly have allowed consent between 2 people. Ched Evans and his 'friends' abused her, their status and this continuing abuse of star status (add in tv and film stars among many others).
I have been in town, having had many drinks, and, on walking home, have quite often stumbled past young, attractive girls who are sitting in their own vomit, some almost falling asleep, some whon are sobbing through having consumed so much alcohol. My thoughts at that moment have often been to help these girls. However I have either just assked if they are ok or continued onwards. I would NEVER have picked the girl up and taken her back to my place for sex. What would anyone in their right mind achieve from that? It's wrong and is abusing the girl's rights. Ched Evans and his vile friends did just that.
As a football fan I am disgusted by this case. I am disgusted by Ched Evans. Disgusted by his friends, especially the one who got away with it and in particular the fact this was filmed on mobiles. Football doesnt deserve people like Ched Evans. He needs to be honest with himself. He needs to recognise that courts dont make up evidence. If the courts have decided the incident is worthy of imprisonment then I am in support of this vile man going down for as long as is possible.
My little man (9 month old son) is gorgeous and is always smiling. My intention is to give him a football as soon as possible and get him playing. I want to take him to top matches and watch the game with a continued smile on his face. I dont want him to grow up watching so called 'football stars' such as Ched Evans ruining his attitude towards the beautiful game. GET RID!
Those supporting him (although I can understand his close family wanting to be there for him) are just as vile and as for his girlfriend, she represents the minority who think that 'star status' means you can use and abuse. GET A LIFE! I am in support of my wife who informed me of this forum. I hope everyone else is in the same frame of mind

[ProcrastinateWildly]

I've emailed the lib dems too

[duke748]

I believe her. x

[oceanstwo]

Have also emailed Basingstoke Lib Dems...

[SillyBeardyDaddyman]

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4280804/Lib-Dem-hopeful-says-Ched-Evans-rape-conviction-was-excessive.html

Please don't vote for this "man"
Have posted the link so everyone can see how trivial he thinks this case is.

[thegreylady]

I believe her

[Codandchops]

Once again I BELIEVE YOU!!! I hope you get access to this thread so you can see how many women and men DO support and believe you.

[lazarusb]

I believe her.

[Sonotkylie]

I believe her.
And more to the point, so did the police and a court after a full trial. I hang my head in shame to be part of a society where apparently the views of football fans who were not there and did not hear the evidence carry more weight

[Frontpaw]

The man is an idiot who thought 'no poublicity is bad opublicity'. Yes, we all know who you are now... And what you look like, and where you work...

[ZZZenAgain]

just goes to show how entrenched this kind of attitude is if someone whose job relies heavily on choosing his words carefully can express an opinion like that online and think it falls under "everyone is entitled to his or her opinion" or words to that effect.

[LimeLeafLizard]

Bloody hell Now a Lib Dem politician is supporting the rapist?
What a prize clod he must be.

Best kick him out sharpish, Cleggy or you'll loose most of your voters.

[youngblowfish]

I believe her. So did the court.

[jammietart]

I believe her.

[RetiredDJ]

I believe her