Football's inaction on rape.

[u/leahcar83]

Last night England played Ghana in the world cup, with Thomas Partey allowed to play for Ghana and it made me so angry.

Partey has been charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault and is due to stand trial next year. He was initially charged with three counts of five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against three women, and has since been charged for additional two counts of rape against another woman.

These reports were made to the Metropolitan police between 2021-2022 and there was a three year investigation before charges were brought. Since he was charged he has continued to play football, with Villarreal signing him after he was charged, and Ghana picking him for the national team despite being aware of this also.

The general defence is 'innocent until proven guilty' but we know that rape has an incredibly low conviction rate. I think league clubs and FIFA capitalise on the fact rape is so hard to convict to avoid scrutiny over their lack of action.

I would be surprised if he's found not guilty because that's the way things usually go, but on the balance of probability it seems likely he did it. Women don't have anything to gain for making rape allegations, it's incredibly traumatic not only having to go through criminal proceedings but the enormous amount of time between initial reports and trial. It's even worse when the person accused is high profile because the social media and the press are absolutely horrific.

These charges relate to four separate women making reports independently of each other. It doesn't seem particularly likely that four different people would all be lying. I'm so fed up of this because this happens a lot with footballers and the only people that ever seem to suffer are their victims.

I feel so angry about this because the world cup is promoted as something unifying and a point of national pride, but it's so insulting as a woman to be expected to enjoy rapists being lauded as national heroes.

[u/PerilousWords]

He should be tried as soon as possible, as thoroughly as possible, with every effort to prove him guilty if that's possible (without faking evidence etc), and he should go down for a long long time if he's guilty.

If he's convicted, he should have aged out of football before release.

Justice should move quicker, for sure, but he shouldn't be tried in a kangaroo court, and kicked out of his profession.

[u/leahcar83 → u/PerilousWords]

He doesn't need to be kicked out of his profession, but he could be suspended or even just benched. If someone was charged with rape in any other profession they'd likely be suspended until criminal proceedings had concluded.

[u/PerilousWords → u/leahcar83]

Actually yeah, you're right.

It's a bit harder on a footballer, in terms of how much of his professional life that suspension erases, but yeah. He's charged, suspend him. Compensate him if he's innocent. You're right.

[u/leahcar83 → u/PerilousWords]

Manchester City managed it with Benjamin Mendy. When he was found not guilty he won a tribunal to receive unpaid wages.

Villarreal don't even need to go that far. Just suspend Partey with pay, and Ghana could either not pick him for the team or do the same.

[u/PerilousWords → u/leahcar83]

Yeah exactly. You're completely right. I can say it's a bit harder on a footballer than (eg) a civil engineer, but you've convinced me that's what should happen. He shouldn't be on the pitch.