Judy Finnigan

[Deskdiary]

When I saw the headlines this morning I had a sharp intake of breath - surely a woman wouldn't 'excuse' rape?

However, having now seen a transcript, what she actually said was (lifted from the BBC website);

"If he does go back, he will have to brave an awful lot of comments," said Finnigan during her debut appearance on the lunchtime programme.

"But, having said that, he has served his time, he's served two years.

"The rape - and I am not, please, by any means minimising any kind of rape - but the rape was not violent, he didn't cause any bodily harm to the person.

"It was unpleasant, in a hotel room I believe, and she [the victim] had far too much to drink.

"That is reprehensible but he has been convicted and he has served his time."

Ultimately she's right, isn't she?

As unpleasant as this man is, he has served his time, and therefore shouldn't he be allowed to continue to pursure his chosen career?

[Tilly2]

Which man?

[ummmm]

Yes, I agree with her. Like was mentioned, if he was a plumber he'd go back to the job he was trained to do.

[grumpy01]

Ched Evans ex Sheffield United footballer.

[Baldric]

Do you have a Link to this Story please?

[boxtops]

I think it'sa really difficult one. He has served his time, but the stigma is never going to go away. I wouldn't want him near me, and as a public profile he's hardly setting a good example to the young men who idolise these guys.

[Jomlett]

Judy Finnigan has apologised after being criticised for appearing to defend convicted rapist Ched Evans and suggesting his victim did not suffer any “bodily harm”.
After the show, she said: “I absolutely wasn’t suggesting that rape was anything other than a horrendous crime and, as I said on the programme, I was in no way attempting to minimise the terrible ordeal that any woman suffers as a result.

“The point I was attempting to raise as part of the debate was what should happen to someone after they have committed a crime and served their time.

“I apologise unreservedly for any offence that I may have caused as a result of the wording I used.”

[Jomlett]

http://gu.com/p/42dcd/tw

[jim360]

I suppose the problem is that it's such a high-profile job that there are either other issues involved or people can easily make it look like there are. Thousands of people don't turn out to see plumbers doing their work each week. Sport is such a public job that it does change the picture rather.

That said he should still be allowed to return to his job, otherwise you are extending the punishment beyond what the judge decided. Perhaps it would be worth campaigners never shutting up about it at his future games (although if they do campaign regularly I hope they target it not at him personally but at others).

[ummmm]

Being raped, I assume, is pretty horrendous, but I'd much rather be drunk in a nice hotel than dragged off the street with a knife to my neck and left for dead.

[andy-hughes]

Leaving aside for the moment the question of the punishment receved and served, what Ms Finnigan has done by her clumsy remarks, is attributed some of the blame for the rape to the victim -

"The rape - and I am not, please, by any means minimising any kind of rape - but the rape was not violent, he didn't cause any bodily harm to the person."

The inference there is clear - violent rape is not nice, but non-violent rape is not as bad.

Personally, if i were a woman on national television, I would not be keen to start grading rapes in terms of severity - someone might point out that rape is rape, there are no 'less pleasant' or 'more pleasant' parts to it.

"It was unpleasant, in a hotel room I believe, and she [the victim] had far too much to drink."

'Ubpleasant"??? We are talking non-consensual sex - rape, it's a crime and its effects are devastating, so I don;t think 'unpleasant' is the first adjective that would spring to my mind.

"...and she [the victim] had far too much to drink.""

Well there you go, she obviously dserved everything she got Judy - what a shame she wasn't concious enough to actually 'ask for it'!

Now that really is beyond the pale - the notion of providing any sort of mitigation in the fact that the victim was too drunk to defend herself - that is simply appalling.

As a woman, and the mother of a yong daughter, this woman should be ashamed of her attitude, and her carelessness in expressing it on national television.

[Old_Geezer]

This was mentioned on the local morning radio show. Did not watch Loose Women myself (surprise surprise) but based on what has been quoted in the OP I see nothing that isn't valid opinion, although the subject is always controversial and many will not wish to deal with anything further than a desire to outcast a perpetrator permanently and never consider shades of grey in such an offence. I think an apology looks unnecessary but I guess a figure in the public eye can not afford to have a section hate them, so I understand why it was issued.

[andy-hughes]

"“I absolutely wasn’t suggesting that rape was anything other than a horrendous crime and, as I said on the programme, I was in no way attempting to minimise the terrible ordeal that any woman suffers as a result."

Yes Judy, you absolutely were, you cold-hearted sanctimonious harridan.

[andy-hughes]

Old Geezer - "I think an apology looks unnecessary but I guess a figure in the public eye can not afford to have a section hate them, so I understand why it was issued."

Does that refer to Ms Finnigan?

If she doesn't want the public to hate her, she should be a little more willing to stand up for her gender and not put forward mitigating circumstancces for a crime.

[naomi24]

^Nasty.

[jim360]

Pointing out the circumstances surrounding the crime isn't ascribing any blame to the victim whatsoever.

[naomi24]

^That was to andy-hughes at 08:40.

[ummmm]

Did you actually watch it, Andy?

It wasn't just her speaking. They were all talking at once.

[andy-hughes]

ummm - "Did you actually watch it, Andy?

It wasn't just her speaking. They were all talking at once."

I didn't watch it - but if Ms Finnigan feels the need to apologise for her comments, then she is obviously aware that they were heard, and objections were raised.

i don;t really see that other people talking has any bearing on the issue.

[ummmm]

Because it wasn't like she was making a speech on rape. They were discussing a rapist football player.

[Old_Geezer]

Of course it refers to Ms Finnigan. She is saying what she thinks is right, rather than joining the group blindly supporting one gender; and calling for everything possible to be inflicted on the perpetrator, regardless. I see no mitigating circumstances mentioned. Merely indications on what makes two criminal acts one a worse experience for the victim than the other. This is accepting, and having the courage to state, reality.