The AFL and the Richmond football club have a big problem. In light of the news that the woman at the centre of the topless photo scandal has asked police to cease investigation into the case, they must act, and must do so swiftly and decisively.
Although we do not know why the investigation was dropped, it is clear that the privacy of the woman in question was at the forefront of her lawyers’ minds. A photo of the woman wearing a 2017 Richmond premiership medal was allegedly circulated among players and on social media. In a statement on Wednesday, Maurice Blackburn emphasised a desire to work towards “restoring her privacy”. No doubt, they would have been aware that as the case progressed – particularly if the player in question was named – so would the scrutiny on their client, in all likelihood in the form of public backlash.
After all, it is all too common for women at the centre of such so-called scandals to be the target of vitriol and blame. Seven years ago – on the back of their premiership win, Collingwood players were being questioned about an alleged sexual assault that occurred in the early hours of their grand final celebrations. When the story broke, however, it was the women involved – rather than the players – who were treated with contempt. In a series of infamous tweets, former AFL player Peter Everitt wrote:
Girls!! When will you learn! At 3am when you are blind drunk & you decide to go home with a guy ITS NOT FOR A CUP OF MILO! Allegedly.
Yet another alleged girl, making alleged allegations, after she awoke with an alleged hangover and I take it an alleged guilty conscience.”
At the time, Everitt’s comments were condemned by AFL House, the game’s headquarters, which had just “announced a partnership with the state government to promote a DVD condemning violence against women”. The DVD was one part of the AFL’s respect and responsibility policy – launched in 2005 – “to address violence against women and work towards creating safe, supportive and inclusive environments for women and girls across the football industry”.
The respect and responsibility policy has been in place now for 12 years, but the parallels between what happened in 2010 and what is happening again now are there for all to see. Here is yet another woman at the centre of yet another scandal, with emphasis and scrutiny yet again placed on the victim rather than the perpetrator. The player in question has so far been protected by remaining unnamed. What retribution – if any – awaits him remains to be seen. The AFL announced on Wednesday it was conducting an investigation with its integrity unit. With the incident no longer in the legal realm, it is now incumbent on Richmond and the AFL to mete out their own punishment, and shift the tone and focus of public conversation.
A good start would be emphasising that there is nothing wrong with a woman posing for a nude photo. That is her right – and in having such a photo taken, she placed her trust in the man behind the camera to have respect for her sexual agency. She also asked him explicitly to delete it afterwards and not distribute it – requests that were evidently ignored. And therein lies the problem – whichever player distributed the photo clearly felt entitled to do so – and to some kind of ownership over that woman’s body, and sexuality, in the absence of her consent.
It is time for the AFL – and Richmond – to finally realise the full implications of what it means to respect women and to take responsibility for the culture of male entitlement and privilege that its sport promotes.
In a previous role I worked with several domestic violence organisations to train AFL clubs on “workplace equality and respect”, with the aim of preventing violence against women. Our core message was that gender inequality sets the necessary social context for violence against women to occur. We pointed out that the sense of entitlement associated traditionally with masculinity may result in the use of force (including forced sex) by some men, particularly in intimate relationships. We also spoke openly about sport being a social setting in which stereotypical masculinity is most rewarded – and where entitlement is likely to be bred. We asked clubs to be cognisant of this and to reinforce positive, equal and respectful relationships wherever possible.
When details of the photo’s non-consensual distribution emerged, Richmond’s chief executive Brendon Gale went on record to argue: “This club feels very strongly about creating an environment where women can thrive and this club feels very strongly about promoting attitudes and behaviours that are respectful of and supportive of women”.
If that is the case, Richmond – with the AFL’s backing – must provide a definitive response to this saga that shifts the public conversation to focus on a culture of entitlement rather than blame. Only then will the culture of the AFL, and disrespect towards women, begin to shift.
- Kate O’Halloran is a Guardian Australia sportswriter and commissioning editor
