The New York Times reported that Luis Rubiales was forced to resign in the face of ongoing outrage about his assault of Spanish soccer star, Jennifer Hermoso.
Rubiales has falsely claimed the assault was consensual, blamed “false feminism” for the global disgust at his choice to assault a woman at the height of her professional success, and is now claiming to be the victim because he is one of the few men who has to experience consequences for his belief he was entitled to grab, touch, and kiss a woman without her consent.
All the other men who hold those beliefs and feel sad for Rubiales, see headlines like this and feel justified in dismissing Jennifer Hermoso as a bitter feminist/whining woman out to ruin his life. Just coz. Women are evil, amirite?
A man who chooses to assault a woman is not a victim he is a perpetrator. Mild consequences for his choices are not a tragedy, they are a very small sign that justice isn’t completely impossible now, it’s just very very very unlikely.
Want to know more about the myths that contribute to this?
BOOKS
Jane Gilmore’s books, Fixed it: Violence and the Representation of Women in the Media, Teaching Consent, and Fairy Tale Princesses Will Kill Your Children are available now with free shipping inside Australia if you purchase from: www.JaneGilmore.com/books
PODCAST
Also available now is the Fairy Tale Princesses Will Kill Your Children Podcast in which Jane invites expert guest on the show to explore agism, women’s unpaid work, consent, power and silence, and coercive control. Find out more here.
FixedIt is an ongoing project to push back against the media’s constant erasure of violent men and blaming of innocent victims. If you would like to help fund it – even $5 a month makes a big difference – please consider becoming a Patron
Helplines
1800 RESPECT
Sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling and support.
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Ph: 1800 737 732
www.1800respect.org.au
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https://ntv.org.au/get-help/
