Ched Evans, Guilty Of Rape?

[saintpeter48]

For fear of bringing out the 'bash Judy Finnegan' brigade, here is my view, what do you think.
Firstly, all rape is the same, it must be a terrible thing to go through, but was Evans really guilty of rape?
Two young people, meet in a club/pub, have far too much to drink, the female freely goes back to a hotel with the male, they have intercourse, the next day she wakes and realises that fact, she reports it, Evans is arrested and charged with rape!
In my view he didn't rape her, if he is guilty of rape then she is guilty of going back to a strangers hotel, into the unknown, what did she think they were going back for, to talk about football!!
Guilty of taking advantage of her perhaps, but rape!!
If that is the case then hundreds of men and women tonight will be in the same situation, police stations will be full tonight and the local courts will be overun on Monday morning.
I do believe that he should be allowed to go back to his trade, playing football, but because of the hype in the media that will be difficult.
Not guilty of rape, imo.

[Svejk]

They should put signs up in nightclub toilets warning young ladies not to go to footballers' hotel rooms.

[kvalidir]

Oh great so none of us actually know what we're discussing then so I'm certainly not getting drawn into discussing FA codes of conduct. I am simply concerned that although in my opinion his crime was heinous he is treated fairly having served his sentence. That is not happening currently and if allowed to continue sets a very dangerous precedent. Women and children clearly need to be safeguarded but I do not see that that can be achieved by preventing him returning to gainful employment in his chosen field. that is an extra and extraordinary punishment and not in the spirit with legislation at all.

[hc4361]

Jordy, she claimed the other footballer raped her, too, but he was found 'not guilty'.

[DTCwordfan]

Reading between the lines, FA and PFA, they recognise that once the sentence is served, any player can resume his profession. However, there is a big issue in that the FA also supports campaigns for non-violence against women and seriously takes its responsibilities to children, CB checks etc etc being extensively applied. Sheffield United would have an issue in this area.... my bet is that they are trying to bottom this one out, and before Evans pronounces as he is due a public statement next week.

[DTCwordfan]

The issue is that professional players do have contact with women and kids, and let's not forget he is supposed to be a role model and that doesn't exactly gel.

The Scottish FA seems to take a similar stance.

[DTCwordfan]

The Scottish Youth FA gives some clues to the inside thinking in that folk can be listed or barred for rape and other crimes, not just kids but adults too, though mainly of the need for protection.

http://www.ddyfa.co.uk/repository/league_180/Player%20Protection%20Policy%20PVG.pdf?leagueid=180

[joeluke]

Evans has served his time and should be allowed to play football again without the current witchhunt he's facing

2 footballers who served time for killing people in RTA's (Lee Hughes and Luke McCormick) resumed their careers upon release from prison without anywhere near as much negativity

[iloveglee]

the girl only reported that she believed her drink had been spiked, which was proved to be untrue. this took place at about 4 am, by 11.30 am no alcohol was found in her bloodstream. it was the police took the case to the cps for rape, both of the two footballers concerned being charged. they admitted to having sex with the girl but she was a willing participant at the time. the jury took the view that she was capable of consent when she was with the first footballer, but for some reason was not capable when with ched evans. an expert witness called for the appeal was not allowed to be admitted into evidence. he maintained that just because you don't remember it the day after, does not necessarily mean that you were incapable of consent several hours earlier. however, jury found him guilty, end of. served his sentence but still believes himself to be innocent. who knows. juries don't always get it right, remember timothy evans, hanged then subsequently found to be innocent. irrelevant now anyway - question is about should he be allowed to play football on the basis he is a role model. do me a favour, footballers are not, and have no responsibility to be role models, that is the responsibility of parents. footballers are merely (highly paid) entertainers and there is no reason why they should be expected to occupy some kind of moral high ground superior to the rest of us. does anyone (old enough), ever remember elvis Presley, or the rolling stones being held up as some kind of role model. don't think so. let him return, although not to Sheffield, and take the flak he will certainly get from the crowd. and I do wish men would stop telling female victims of rape how they feel, how traumatised they are and how their lives are ruined. the only person who has the right to say that is the person who the rape was perpetrated on.

[Svejk]

I'd like to agree with everything you've said, ilg. Darn the flak, I do. We're all entitled to our opinions, after all.

[iloveglee]

and then of course, women should be entitled to go out and get off their faces on drink and drugs and still be safe, because after all that's what men do. except they don't do they. men who do this are not safe either, men also get raped, and kicked and stabbed and killed when off their faces, but then again that's men for you, six of one and a half dozen of the other. I am a woman btw but am no apologist for either rapists, or girls who go out, off their faces with the express intention of pulling a bloke and going off into a dark corner for sex. then again, I am the generation who had to at least know a bit about a bloke before having sex with him. because heaven knows what nasty disease he might have!!!