AFL Players Raping with Drugs
I was hoping to take a break from logging the sordid underbelly of AFL footy. Sadly, a number of very serious allegations have been made this week that cannot pass without comment.
They both center around the use of drugs by some AFL players to disable (and in one case) rape women. Both incidents allegedly occurred last month, during the finals season. This is a period that automatically gets a "red light" owing to the large numbers of players cutting loose. In this incident, a young woman picked up an AFL player:
She is believed to have claimed she met the player on a night out with friends at an inner-suburban Melbourne bar.
It was there she said she met the Melbourne-based footballer and spent time with him.
She has claimed her drink was spiked during the evening.
...
The woman, in her early 20s, is believed to have claimed the footballer twice had sex without her consent while she was incapacitated by drugs.
She has been receiving counselling over the alleged incident. (The Herald-Sun, 25/10/05)
I'll follow the advice of The Hun's defamation lawyers and not name the player, venue or complainant (and please, comments doing the same will be deleted!).
The second incident allegedly involved Nick Steven's wife at a post-Brownlow boozer at Crown Casino (the site of the infamous Heath Culpitt missing-rape-evidence scandal). She was targeted for drink-spiking by an AFL player:
CARLTON star Nick Stevens's girlfriend is believed to have had her drink spiked at a post-Brownlow Medal party at Crown casino.
Doctors believe the date-rape drug Rohypnol was involved.
The drug was allegedly slipped into her drink as the couple celebrated with other AFL stars at the Crown Promenade Hotel on September 19.
...
Rohypnol causes unconsciousness and memory loss, leaving victims vulnerable to sexual assault.(The Herald-Sun, 26/10/05)
(Personally, I do not like the term "date rape". It seems to suggest a hierarchy of rape. Rape is rape, regardless of the social situation it takes place in: on a date, walking home from work, sitting at home watching telly etc)
While it's possible the drink-spiker could have been an AFL official or coach, this seems doubtful to me. It looks like we have a culture of AFL players spiking young women's drinks - either with Rohypnol or other illegal drugs - in order to rape them. For all the much-vaunted player awareness training, it seems that their internal code of conduct and footballer culture still allows - or even encourages? - individuals to engage in this most despicable behaviour.
There's one thing of which we can be certain: no AFL player is synthesising his own Rohypnol. (That's not covered in year ten science.) They're getting it from somewhere - probably the same place they're getting all their ecstacy. It would be shocking to learn that footy players are passing around amongst themselves "rape-enabling" drugs, in addition to the various other pills and powders. However, this is the kind of behaviour that can emerge when the culture says that women are sex-toys to be used and abused and that their consent is irrelevant.
The psychology of why AFL players seek to rape incapacitates women may be even more disturbing than simply a willingness to disregarding the women's wishes. These are young, fit, famous, wealthy men. I don't imagine any of them face serious difficulties in picking up. Yet this is certainly not the first allegations of rape made against AFL players; not even the first involving raping women disabled through drugs and alcohol - or even while sleeping. It's likely that in some cases the rape wasn't just a means to an end - getting a root - but also an end in itself. In other words, the (unnecessary) use of chemical incapacitation (and/or violence) adds to the sexual arousal and pleasure. Fuckin' sickos. This is not the case for normal men. Something is wrong with them.
To re-iterate: do not pick up AFL footballers. Do not flirt with them. Do not let them buy you drinks. If you feel unwell or unsteady, ask the bouncers to call you a taxi. If you can't manage that, stay in the women's toilets and get help from other women. The AFL player you just met might seem nice enough, but the risk that he is an emotionally-retarded egoist in thrall to his club's tribal customs and carrying a packet of Rohynol is just too great. Don't do it.
Citations: The Herald-Sun, 25/10/05; The Herald-Sun, 26/10/05
Word Count: 758
10 comments
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10 Comments:
I was an "IT" girl in college at valdosta state in Ga. in 1986. I was so stupid and got totally drunk and decieved and raped by a guy named Vince in my freshmen year. It has stayed with me ever since. There is nothing that I wouldn't do now to see him behind bars. Girls need to GET SMART!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop being Okay to the easy money of porn., and 95% of this would stop. Its got to end and it will now if young girls would get smarter.
By
Anonymous, at 2:39 pm, December 13, 2005
I'm saddened to hear about your experience. While everyone has their own reactions, I don't think we should blame women for men raping them.
Young people - myself included - will get drunk and do stupid things. It's inevitable and part of life. People should be able to do this in a safe environment, without fear of rape or other assault.
I'm not sure about mid-80s Georgia, but I'm guessing there was a culture of football hero-worship that meant that footballers got away with atrocious behaviour. This deification of young men (by their peers, many women and even older men like coaches) contributes to an unsafe environment.
While I recommend to women that they avoid AFL footballers, that's just a short-term fix. The longer-term solution is to change footballers' attitudes and the prevailing culture that says it's okay to bash and rape.
This change won't happen without some impetus and, sadly, it seems that the police are ineffective. Instead, we have to look to other methods such as fines, public shaming and a widespread drying-up of available women.
By
Greg, at 1:42 pm, December 15, 2005
One incident does not contribute a 'culture'!
By
Anonymous, at 5:05 pm, April 09, 2006
Actually, this article mentions two incidents in one week! And it's not the first time allegations of this nature have surfaced. The "footballer culture" of drug abuse and poor attitudes to women is well-known and documented. Don't take my word for it; check out the 4 corners special.
So, wilful ignorance of the facts and basic numeracy problems - are you a footballer?
By
Greg, at 5:57 pm, April 09, 2006
All men are potential rapists, especially when we're younger.
Why single out one particular group?
Women are seen as objects by all men and this will never change.
Even women in Muslim garb are checked out by men.
Just the same, "no" means "no" and you'd think the last people to act unfairly would be sportsmen.
I don't think it's very sportsman like to incapacitate another person just so you can have your way with them.
Personally, I prefer to ensure the other party is fully aware of my intentions, that way, any conquest is fair and square and no one gets hurt.
What is it with grog, drugs etc anyway. Why do people feel they need such things?
I'd prefer to be with someone who had all their faculties about them. Not some drunken or drugged pig who could throw up on me at any time.
To me, drinkers and drug users of any kind, are nothing more than cowardly pathetic mutants, who simply don't want to deal with the realities of life.
Grow up, the lot of you and Girls, for Christs sake wake up. You know the risks, you know what men are like, so don't play with fire.
An Honest and very fair male of 58.
By
Anonymous, at 10:22 pm, June 16, 2006
Just to be clear, I disagree with nearly every statement that the above poster makes. Letting the comments stand should in no way be taken as an endorsement by me.
By
Greg, at 1:24 am, June 17, 2006
This thug broke the law. This dog should be sent to prison, and only released when he is a rotted carcas.
By
Anonymous, at 10:13 pm, October 10, 2006
Ummm... and what about all the women who go to bed willingly with a sports star and then goes to the press screaming rape...
Is this legal... do these women actually get sympathy from anyone for ruining someones life with their lies or does society just treat these woman as victims all same and blame the real victims of the deceit and lies perpetrated by these women as criminals...
An old friend of mine slept with a young lady who wanted more from him than the 1 night stand he thought they were having... she screamed rape and he ended up in prison...
I am not saying that all women do this, but I am saying that a good percentage of women who cry rape after sleeping with a sports star, do so because they can get a lot more money from the newspapers and tv shows for their story if they do cry rape.
A bit of common sense at the end of the day, and a bit of sympathy for us poor men who can be innocent of such charges
By
Anonymous, at 9:12 am, May 12, 2007
So, a "good percentage of women" cry rape, do they? What percentage do you have in mind? Can you provide any evidence whatsoever - a reference, your own experience, anything at all - to back this claim up?
It's already a crime to make false allegations of rape. Our courts get to decide which cases are false and which are true.
How do you propose we use "common sense" and "a bit of sympathy" to make that determination instead of the courts?
Sounds to me like you're making wild claims that you can't substantiate and criticising the existing system without making any practical suggestions for improvement.
We won't let that stand unchallenged on this blog, thank you very much.
By
Greg, at 7:23 pm, May 13, 2007
These are good looking, wealthy young and fit men as you say. It doesn't take much effort to pick up when you have that combo. This is indicative of something much more cruel and psychopathic going on.
We can't blame the women, but you must be aware of the danger you could potentially be in. There are too many who scoff at the potential danger they could be in. At least go out with some good mates who have your back, even out the playing field.
By
Anonymous, at 9:40 pm, April 12, 2008
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