‘Women expect men to condemn violence against women, not offer contract to convicted rapist’

The Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations and NGO Men Against Violence have both come out publicly against a local football club’s reported offer to convicted rapist Ched Evans.

The MCWO argued that offering a contract to a convicted rapist not only gives a “very bad impression” of the Hibernians football club, but also of Maltese football in general.

On its part, the Men Against Violence organisation said the footabller’s “actions and behaviour after serving part of his sentence make him a wrong role model for a better and less violent society”.

Over the weekend, Maltese football club Hibernians reportedly offered footballer Ched Evans a deal but the UK Ministry of Justice said rules prevented Evans from working abroad.

The controversial move provoked conflicting reactions over whether a convicted rapist should be given the opportunity to reignite his footballing career. Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said Evans should be given a second chance, but on the other hand, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat warned that the decision will “define the club and to an extent Malta.”

PN MP Jason Azzopardi, shadow home affairs minister and honorary president of the Hibs club, also argued that Evans should be given a second chance.

But both the MCWO and the Women’s Study Group found the idea of offering Evans a football contract “problematic”.

“This gives a very bad impression of the particular football club and of Maltese football in general.  Women in Malta rightly expect the solidarity of all Maltese males to publicly demonstrate their abhorrence to all forms of violence against women at both the institutional and the individual level.

“The decision to offer a football contract to a convicted rapist seriously erodes this trust.”

MCWO argued that footballers are held high in public profile: “Football is a sport in which many boys and young men are socialised into various types of masculinities.  One would hope that the world of sport, including football, should be a place where boys and men can learn other, non-violent, non-sexualised, and non-misogynist ways of being men.”

It said that girls and women were also both players and spectators in the football world and should feel safe in the knowledge that the boys and men around them do not condone rape.

“Football clubs should reconsider what messages such decisions give about sexual violence and sexual consent.   If football gives all types of cards for fouls for violence during the game, why does it not give a red card to rape?” MCWO said.

Chairperson Lorraine Spiteri said football clubs should disassociate themselves from violence such as rape.

“We urge football clubs to dissociate themselves from the offence of rape and choose only footballers who perform commendably and admirably not only on the pitch but also in their private lives,” she said. “Evans’ crime is not a minor crime. He has been convicted and has not shown any signs of concern for his victim.”

Spiteri said that while the organisation supported the integration of criminals after they do their time, MCWO felt that giving Evans back his high profile as footballer was “very damaging”.

“There are other ways for him to earn a decent living without causing more harm than he has already in society. The second chance Evans seeks cannot be sought in the world of sport which should have zero tolerance for sexual violence, racism and others types of crimes against the person,” Spiteri said.

On its part, Men Against Violence argued that the rehabilitation of convicted violent offenders was in the interest of the society as a whole.

“The process of rehabilitation starts with the offender realising the harm they caused, taking ownership of their own actions and showing deep remorse for the pain they caused. Ched Evans is not that person.

“At no point in time did he even recognise that he did anything wrong. Letting him continue his career as if nothing happened would not be helping him in his ‘rehabilitation’, rather it would send a message to him, his young fans and society as a whole that people of certain status can get away with anything,” it said through a statement posted on Facebook.

“His actions and behaviour after serving part of his sentence make him a wrong role model for a better, less violent society we should all strive for.”