Scandal Dustin Martin in drunken scuffle

[Catastic82]

The way it was handled was out of control, a frenzy. If Martin should be suspended for a year, what penalty should the Hawthorn players accused of rape get?

The Hawks players will more than likely be de registered if convicted .

 

[JB1975]

I can't see how a year ban helps anyone, call me biased but I think there are many other ways to help the victim to deal with the trauma and to punish Dustin Martin while educating him at the same time.

I'll bet if you threatened a woman with violence it wouldn't be played out in the media. I'd also bet that if it wasn't Dustin Martin, the woman would have complained to the staff rather than confronting him herself.

Still I respect your opinion because it was unacceptable behaviour, I just feel a year match ban is a lose/lose/lose result.

Some Richmond supporters just seem upset that the incident has become a media event. True, if Martin was just another lout with a bad haircut then we wouldn't be hearing about it, but why is that relevant. Once upon a time there was a guy who had an affair with a mate's wife. You never heard about it, but Wayne Carey did the same thing and we haven't stopped hearing about it since. High profile = story.

The speculation about what the woman would or wouldn't have done if Martin wasn't involved is crude at best. How can you possibly speculate on such things? The other problem I have here is that it puts the emphasis back on her actions, whereas the attention should solely be on Martin's actions.

 

[FuManchu]

Some Richmond supporters just seem upset that the incident has become a media event. True, if Martin was just another lout with a bad haircut then we wouldn't be hearing about it, but why is that relevant. Once upon a time there was a guy who had an affair with a mate's wife. You never heard about it, but Wayne Carey did the same thing and we haven't stopped hearing about it since. High profile = story.

The speculation about what the woman would or wouldn't have done if Martin wasn't involved is crude at best. How can you possibly speculate on such things? The other problem I have here is that it puts the emphasis back on her actions, whereas the attention should solely be on Martin's actions.

Correct. She in fact might be reluctant to proceed because of his status and also her media career.

Deflecting Martin's role in this and lashing out at her intentions, media coverage and comparisons to all sorts of past offences paints a picture of supporters with vested interests and skewed social values.

He's a footballer, he really doesn't contribute all that much to society to warrant him being shielded from taking the responsibility and consequences of his actions. Your life won't end if he cops a week, a month, a year.

 

[Chief]

He's acknowledged poor behaviour but has not admitted culpability for the specific allegations from what I've read.

Yes. That is what I said, but in different words. It's the politicians apology.

 

[JB1975]

Can't say the idea hadn't occurred to me. Contain the threat. The situation's a lot more perilous than many realise, but I digress.

"Are you gonna dob on me?"... Martin's still a kid. One that needs a lot of guidance.

The thing is, he's not a kid. He's a grown man who needs to take responsibility for his own actions. How do you teach someone to take responsibility for their own actions? Some people can't be 'guided', some people need to be made to take responsibility.

I'm not just thinking of Martin here, but of professional athletes more generally. The overwhelming majority do just fine, or fine enough, but some of them are warped by the coddling environment of the club and the fawning the receive. It's unhealthy, and maybe it does require some special intervention.

 

[JB1975]

Yes. That is what I said, but in different words. It's the politicians apology.

Yup, the apology of a politician, lawyer or child. It's very easy to apologise 'if someone has taken offence', rather than apologising for being an offensive bastard.

 

[HairyO]

The way it was handled was out of control, a frenzy. If Martin should be suspended for a year, what penalty should the Hawthorn players accused of rape get?

Serious gaol time.

Dusty should get a criminal conviction recorded, with community service if the allegations are true. Though being a rich celebrity it is far more likely he would get a fine and no criminal conviction recorded. Afterall, he may want to go play football in America some day. Or be a fireman.

BTW: we know he apologised, but what did he apologise about?

 

[FuManchu]

The thing is, he's not a kid. He's a grown man who needs to take responsibility for his own actions. How do you teach someone to take responsibility for their own actions? Some people can't be 'guided', some people need to be made to take responsibility.

I'm not just thinking of Martin here, but of professional athletes more generally. The overwhelming majority do just fine, or fine enough, but some of them are warped by the coddling environment of the club and the fawning the receive. It's unhealthy, and maybe it does require some special intervention.

Fevola springs to mind as someone feted from an early age because of his ability to kick a goal. As long as he kicked goals all the way thru his teenage years probably shielded him from learning social skills that he needed when all of a sudden he was thrust out into an incredibly intensive media exposure.

People need to stop seeing these players as heroes. They are well paid and just kick a ball around. The real heroes are the people who put their lives on the line for not much if anything at all, the people who do volunteer work.

You can enjoy what these players do on he field, but the amount of adulation they get is disproportional to what they actually contribute in comparison to those who do unheralded work.

 

[DemonTim]

Yup, the apology of a politician, lawyer or child. It's very easy to apologise 'if someone has taken offence', rather than apologising for being an offensive bastard.

It's a legal thing. You don't admit guilt to something that you're being investigated for.

 

[DemonTim]

Serious gaol time.

Dusty should get a criminal conviction recorded, with community service if the allegations are true. Though being a rich celebrity it is far more likely he would get a fine and no criminal conviction recorded. Afterall, he may want to go play football in America some day. Or be a fireman.

BTW: we know he apologised, but what did he apologise about?

Because he's a rich celebrity? Kidding? Have you seen the legal system lately? They slap nobodies with a wet lettuce leaf for assault. If anything he's going to be treated more harshly to send a message

 

[JB1975]

It's a legal thing. You don't admit guilt to something that you're being investigated for.

I realise that, thanks Tim. The nature of the 'apology' remains the same: to say sorry for the repercussions of our actions without taking responsibility for the actions or acknowledging those actions.

 

[HairyO]

Because he's a rich celebrity? Kidding? Have you seen the legal system lately? They slap nobodies with a wet lettuce leaf for assault. If anything he's going to be treated more harshly to send a message

The key is the criminal conviction recording. Not the punishment. Dusty will claim he needs to work in the US and a conviction stops that.

Plenty of people get fines for assault. But generally the conviction is recorded.

 

[DemonTim]

The key is the criminal conviction recording. Not the punishment. Dusty will claim he needs to work in the US and a conviction stops that.

Plenty of people get fines for assault. But generally the conviction is recorded.

I think you'd be surprised at how many cases of threats just get let go, with no action at all.

 

[SdKfz 181]

What has been exaggerated?

The story is not truthfull, gravy added, don't believe everything the media tells you. Sheeple...

 

[markm106]

I didn't think the police needed a statement from the victim to lay charges, CCTV footage or witness report would be enough if they wanted to do it.

If they have decent footage and witness statements then it's possible.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Throw the book at him.

 

[Ron The Bear]

BTW: we know he apologised, but what did he apologise about?

What did he do, is more the point.

 

[Ron The Bear]

I think you'd be surprised at how many cases of threats just get let go, with no action at all.

Jake King allegedly threatened to kill a man's family, it went nowhere and didn't receive a tenth of the coverage of this.

 

[HairyO]

What did he do, is more the point.

The content of the apology may go some way to answer that question.

 

[FuManchu]

The story is not truthfull, gravy added, don't believe everything the media tells you. Sheeple...

Which parts are untruthful?

 

[Rod Stroker]

BTW: we know he apologised, but what did he apologise about?

He apologised for not knowing what he apologised for.

 

[FuManchu]

Jake King allegedly threatened to kill a man's family, it went nowhere and didn't receive a tenth of the coverage of this.

There has been a shift in social awareness of late on violence in particular against women. What happened 2,3,5 years ago, no longer can be used as a comparison. Don't you think that's a good thing that these things are now less tolerated?

 

[PetterdHoisted]

There has been a shift in social awareness of late on violence in particular against women. What happened 2,3,5 years ago, no longer can be used as a comparison. Don't you think that's a good thing that these things are now less tolerated?

No there has not been a shift in the last 2,3,4 years! Add a zero and we can start discussing meaningful shifts.

2,3,4 years just conveniently exonerates the much worse behaviour of other players gone unpunished.

 

[FuManchu]

No there has not been a shift in the last 2,3,4 years! Add a zero and we can start discussing meaningful shifts.

2,3,4 years just conveniently exonerates the much worse behaviour of other players gone unpunished.

I'm not saying it's a perfect system of accountability, but the violence against women issue has been very public the last year or two.

But either way you want to measure the shift, it doesn't diminish what allegedly happened on Saturday. If people can't read the tea leaves and adjust their thinking and actions in accordance with public expectations, then they can't complain if their actions all of a sudden become big news.

 

[SdKfz 181]

Which parts are untruthful?

death threats, stabbing her to death. It's absolute garbage.