Cut The Bull: Broncos, Switches and Big Ears Teddy
Words by Brendan Louis
With high profile domestic violence and sexual abuse incidents all over the headlines lately, public opinion suddenly seems to carry a newfound weight. Are we all too quick to play cyber judge and jury or has the problem of abuse finally hit its apex where society needs to step up and speak up?
Thinking back, it occurs to me that the first true celebrity accused of domestic violence and tried in the court of public opinion w as OJ. Sure, he managed to beat the criminal rap but he essentially copped to imposing years of physical abuse and eventually killing his wife when he caved in the civil trial and literally paid for his sins. Looking back, I think OJ had it relatively easy in a pre-Internet world.
Fast forward to today, you’ll find the rules are very different as smart phones and social media make everyone a broadcaster and commentator from th e palm of their hand.
This year the conversation started to come to the forefront when a couple of athletes, playing the same violent sport and position as OJ n o less, got caught acting up. First it was Ray Rice who was charged with cold-coc king his wife-to-be in a hotel elevator. Rice was charged and admitted to the act but bit his tongue when the NFL handed him a two-game suspension for his behaviour. Once the grainy security video hit TMZ showing the punch, all bets were off and the NFL handed down an indefinite suspension, which was later overturned a fter the running back won his appeal.
Next up was Adrian Peterson who was charged last year with physically abusing his son. When the initial charges were levied, Peterson played on and took the stance that he was disciplining his child. He admitted to hitting his son with a switch (southern slang for a stick) to teach him a lesson but when pictures of a four-year-old’s bloody leg started appearing online several months later, Peterson’s season was effectively done too.
How the NFL has handled these situations has come under fire but where an employer’s jurisdiction starts and the legal system kicks in is often a blurry line. While admitting to their crimes, both players have challenged the league’s punishment on the basis of violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that governs their employment.
Sound familiar? North of the border and kilometres away from any football field, Canadians are now privy to their very own abuse scandal as CBC golden boy Jian Ghomeshi came forward pre-emptively after being fired, admitting to having some rather violent habits in the bedroom. He liked it rough. Although it wasn’t for everyone, it was, according to Ghomeshi, always consensual.
Within minutes of posting his confession online, public opinion on social media took over and women began coming forward with allegation s of sexual and physical abuse. Ghomeshi’s Big Ears teddy bear began making headlines and even Halloween costume circuits shortly after. The Ghomeshi scandal has everything tabloids love t o plaster on their front pages but didn’t attract much interest south of the border.
Enter TV’s own legendary Dr. Huxtable. Over the past month, Bill Cosby has come under fire following numerous sexual assault allegations from his days on the Cosby Show . Although there were rumours and accusations of questionable activities for year s leading up to this boiling point, more women have begun to put their names and faces to the alleged crimes. And herein lies the fundamental question.
What happens to the presumption of innocence when a person is put on trial via social media? There is a reason we have a judicial system and due process. While the Internet can “out” the abuser, it can also be used to harass and intimidate the person who has been abused . On the other hand, had it not been for the court of public opinion, would we even know about switches and teddy bears? Employers and football leagues could continue to sweep allegations of abuse and harassment under the carpet.
Undoubtedly, one positive outcome of all of this is the dialogue that is taking place and the empowerment it is giving people, women in p articular, to take a stand and come forward . The fact that women are finding their voice through hashtags and a shared experience is a great place to start, better still is the notion that men can participate too and take notice that times are changing.
