[Derek Sutton]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Fair comment, but those players are all veterans now, have had time to reflect back on their actions and the organization's action, and they have, with their comments over the past 24 hours, demonstrated a total lack of understanding, empathy, and accountability. They are, and should be, criticized for that.



In my opinion, this demonstrates a total lack of understanding of what sexual assault is, how it happens, and why it happens. Sexual assault is about power disparity. Power can be physical power, but far more often it is about financial, social, or organizational power.

Your theory that players might have thought Beach was making false allegations regarding the sexual assault is simply incoherent? Even if we presume that Beach was motivated to just "cause trouble" for the organization (that he was trying to play for and be paid millions of dollars by), just for the sake of causing trouble, why on earth would he choose to do so by inventing a sexual assault? Disclosing sexual assault is one of the most difficult, painful, and personally damaging thing that a person can do (especially in these circumstances).

I agree with all of this, however we are discussing 21- 24 year old hockey players, not a lot of intellect and rational thought in that group.

They all have to be fearful of the consequences should they come forward now, be it there own career or one of the coaches.