Saint Jade IV
17-09-2008, 10:49
One of the top teams in the NRL, the Brisbane Broncos has 3 players currently being investigated amid claims that they sexually assaulted a young woman in a nightclub and recorded the incident on one of the player's mobile phones. The 3 players are high-profile players and there have been no charges laid at this point. However, there has been a media frenzy over the issue.
Below is a sample article:
Spence under fire for backing Broncos amid assault claims
Posted 2 hours 22 minutes ago
The players have not been stood aside from a semi-final scheduled this weekend. (AAP: Dave Hunt, file photo)
Audio: Qld Police Minister under fire for encouraging Broncos support (The World Today)
Map: Brisbane 4000
A Queensland Government minister is under fire for encouraging football fans to support the Brisbane Broncos.
Three Broncos players are being investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman, but Judy Spence, who is both Sport and Police Minister, has urged Broncos supporters not to lose faith in the team ahead of this weekend's semi-final.
The woman claims she was sexually assaulted by the three players in the toilet of a Brisbane nightclub on Saturday.
The trio have all reportedly declared their innocence and Ms Spence has urged fans not to turn their backs on the team.
"I hope the Brisbane people do come out and support the Broncos this weekend," she said.
"They shouldn't lose faith in this team, it's a great team and I certainly am not judging the action of those three footballers until the police investigation is concluded. And I would encourage everyone not to pre-judge them at this stage."
The players have not been stood aside from a semi-final scheduled this weekend.
Ms Spence says the police investigation could take a couple of weeks.
"Whether these three were up to no good or not I don't know, we'll wait until the police investigation is finished. But the rest of the team is worth supporting so people should come out," she said.
There has been some harsh criticism of the Minister online in responses to newspaper reports, with some calling for her to be sacked, and the players to be dropped.
'Take a stronger stance'
Her comments have also worried sexual assault workers, including Karen Willis.
"I'm disappointed that a police minister isn't coming out more strongly, saying that violence against women is not okay and the police will pull out all stops to investigate any matter," she said.
"I would expect that that would be the leadership that a police minister should be making, or a premier or a prime minister and we certainly have seen that in many other states."
Ms Willis is the chairwoman of the National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence. She says sexual assault workers are questioning Ms Spence's judgement.
She says the players should be stood down until the matter is resolved, even though they have not been proven guilty.
"We need to separate out the issue of the criminal justice process and the issue of being leaders in our community and behaving ethically," she said.
"Their code of conduct and those sorts of things which the League has been quite clear that they're required to follow."
Player behaviour
The Brisbane Broncos are doing their own investigation into the players' behaviour, and whether they have breached the club and the National Rugby League's codes of conduct.
The NRL has attempted to stamp out problem behaviour in recent years and one of its advisers is feminist and academic Professor Catherine Lumby from the University of Sydney.
She has stopped short of criticising Ms Spence's call to support the team in the finals.
"She's right in the sense that we do need to let the legal process take its course, but at the same time I would say I'm very concerned that we recognise the seriousness of these allegations," she said.
"They are allegations, but they are of the most serious kind.
"I'm very clear that the NRL, David Gallop and the clubs, have sent a message to players and to the community that sexual violence against women will not be tolerated, and I would expect to see that message sent if these allegations are indeed proven."
Based on a report by Annie Guest for The World Today, September 17.
There has been a veritable monsoon of reports about player misconduct and behaviour at nightclubs and other venues. The 3 high profile players include Australian Fullback Karmichael Hunt and Queensland Origin Representatives Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd. The girl in question has not been named. My issue is whether these players should have been named in the media before being convicted or indeed before charges have even been laid against them? Particularly since, being such high profile figures, it will now be virtually impossible to find anyone who has not read the media reports and developed an opinion? Should people accused of a crime be named in the media before investigations are completed and charges laid? This is potentially a career-ruining situation, and it may be found that like the Duke Lacrosse team case, or like the Canterbury Bulldogs rape allegations, that there is no case for these players to answer. Why should their careers, or anyone else's (think of teachers, lawyers, police officers, anyone in fact) be ruined because of media sensationalism if they are in fact not guilty of the crime in the first place?
Furthermore, why should sexual assault and other advocacy groups be advising that people should not support the team, or ask questions about the incident? The worker quoted in the article states that "They are allegations, but of the most serious kind." This would lead me to the benefit of the doubt until they are actually charged with the crime. Other people have made comments on talkback radio that they have had to explain to their children and therefore the players should be sacked, regardless of their guilt or innocence? Its all very good and well to make these statements once charges are laid, but until then, I think that everyone should just shut up and let police and the club do their work.
Below is a sample article:
Spence under fire for backing Broncos amid assault claims
Posted 2 hours 22 minutes ago
The players have not been stood aside from a semi-final scheduled this weekend. (AAP: Dave Hunt, file photo)
Audio: Qld Police Minister under fire for encouraging Broncos support (The World Today)
Map: Brisbane 4000
A Queensland Government minister is under fire for encouraging football fans to support the Brisbane Broncos.
Three Broncos players are being investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman, but Judy Spence, who is both Sport and Police Minister, has urged Broncos supporters not to lose faith in the team ahead of this weekend's semi-final.
The woman claims she was sexually assaulted by the three players in the toilet of a Brisbane nightclub on Saturday.
The trio have all reportedly declared their innocence and Ms Spence has urged fans not to turn their backs on the team.
"I hope the Brisbane people do come out and support the Broncos this weekend," she said.
"They shouldn't lose faith in this team, it's a great team and I certainly am not judging the action of those three footballers until the police investigation is concluded. And I would encourage everyone not to pre-judge them at this stage."
The players have not been stood aside from a semi-final scheduled this weekend.
Ms Spence says the police investigation could take a couple of weeks.
"Whether these three were up to no good or not I don't know, we'll wait until the police investigation is finished. But the rest of the team is worth supporting so people should come out," she said.
There has been some harsh criticism of the Minister online in responses to newspaper reports, with some calling for her to be sacked, and the players to be dropped.
'Take a stronger stance'
Her comments have also worried sexual assault workers, including Karen Willis.
"I'm disappointed that a police minister isn't coming out more strongly, saying that violence against women is not okay and the police will pull out all stops to investigate any matter," she said.
"I would expect that that would be the leadership that a police minister should be making, or a premier or a prime minister and we certainly have seen that in many other states."
Ms Willis is the chairwoman of the National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence. She says sexual assault workers are questioning Ms Spence's judgement.
She says the players should be stood down until the matter is resolved, even though they have not been proven guilty.
"We need to separate out the issue of the criminal justice process and the issue of being leaders in our community and behaving ethically," she said.
"Their code of conduct and those sorts of things which the League has been quite clear that they're required to follow."
Player behaviour
The Brisbane Broncos are doing their own investigation into the players' behaviour, and whether they have breached the club and the National Rugby League's codes of conduct.
The NRL has attempted to stamp out problem behaviour in recent years and one of its advisers is feminist and academic Professor Catherine Lumby from the University of Sydney.
She has stopped short of criticising Ms Spence's call to support the team in the finals.
"She's right in the sense that we do need to let the legal process take its course, but at the same time I would say I'm very concerned that we recognise the seriousness of these allegations," she said.
"They are allegations, but they are of the most serious kind.
"I'm very clear that the NRL, David Gallop and the clubs, have sent a message to players and to the community that sexual violence against women will not be tolerated, and I would expect to see that message sent if these allegations are indeed proven."
Based on a report by Annie Guest for The World Today, September 17.
There has been a veritable monsoon of reports about player misconduct and behaviour at nightclubs and other venues. The 3 high profile players include Australian Fullback Karmichael Hunt and Queensland Origin Representatives Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd. The girl in question has not been named. My issue is whether these players should have been named in the media before being convicted or indeed before charges have even been laid against them? Particularly since, being such high profile figures, it will now be virtually impossible to find anyone who has not read the media reports and developed an opinion? Should people accused of a crime be named in the media before investigations are completed and charges laid? This is potentially a career-ruining situation, and it may be found that like the Duke Lacrosse team case, or like the Canterbury Bulldogs rape allegations, that there is no case for these players to answer. Why should their careers, or anyone else's (think of teachers, lawyers, police officers, anyone in fact) be ruined because of media sensationalism if they are in fact not guilty of the crime in the first place?
Furthermore, why should sexual assault and other advocacy groups be advising that people should not support the team, or ask questions about the incident? The worker quoted in the article states that "They are allegations, but of the most serious kind." This would lead me to the benefit of the doubt until they are actually charged with the crime. Other people have made comments on talkback radio that they have had to explain to their children and therefore the players should be sacked, regardless of their guilt or innocence? Its all very good and well to make these statements once charges are laid, but until then, I think that everyone should just shut up and let police and the club do their work.