In up-to-date news, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshawn Watson apologized to the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Watson, reported to have said in two prior interviews that he had quote no regrets regarding any of his actions during massage sessions, although he regretted the impact that the allegations had on the people around him.
The penalty for violating Brown’s personal conduct policy is a two-week ban handed down by independent arbiter Sue L Robinson. Robinson reported that Watson violated the personal conduct policy with “egregious and predatory” behavior and concluded that her decision to suspend Watson was based on his “lack of expressed remorse.”
The lawsuit filed by twenty-five women took place while Watson was with the Texans and prior to a trade to the Cleveland Browns. The women alleged that Watson sexually assaulted and exhibited other inappropriate conduct during massage sessions.
Prior to Watson’s incident, former Florida basketball player and SEC preseason player of the year 2020 Keyontae Johnson stands formally accused of felony sexual battery which is a first-degree felony carrying a punishment of up to 30 years in prison. Without providing an extended account of the he said, she said details, the encounter occurred in February 2022 after Johnson acknowledged that he had unprotected sex with a heavily intoxicated female who according to Johnson, gave consent for the impromptu encounter. The case, officially abandoned in July of 2022, after the states attorney’s investigation concluded that “Keyontae didn’t do anything wrong here.”
While this is not the first and more than likely will not be the last time that we will hear stories of sexual misconduct committed by athletes. The question in my mind has been, why does this behavior continue to occur and why isn’t there a pre-draft camp led by an expert in sexual, domestic violence and violence against any person available to inform and forewarn newly drafted and seasoned players of what classifies sexual assault and violence against an individual and including the ramifications for committing acts of violence against another person.
There is no doubt that star athletes will be confronted with the attention of more women than they have ever encountered before their star status, but it is not only tragic that their potential upbringing did not prepare them for treating women with decency and respect, it is more upsetting that the sports management industry responsible for them are not preparing them for what lies ahead when it comes to females who throw themselves at them on a daily basis. Granted not all women are trying to throw themselves at athletes. Female fans are often just excited to meet their favorite player and are not necessarily interested in having a one-night stand, which at that point may severely bruise the already inflated ego of a now narcissistic player who does not take no for an answer.
It was not until former NFL player Ray Rice, caught on tape punching his then girlfriend, now wife on an elevator and knocking her unconscious that the four major leagues developed a formal policy addressing domestic violence, sexual abuse, and child abuse.
Therapy and counseling services are available, but it seems only after an incident has taken place. What preventive measures are in place other than issue a manual or contract outlining the formal policies addressing sexual assault, battery, and violence on and off the court or field?
In the last five years approximately thirty-nine players have faced charges and / or suspended for domestic violence sexual assault or child abuse.
Confronting the reality of the state of the American family, the U.S. Census Bureau reports 19.5 million children more than one in four live in households without a father. Those children without fathers have encountered physical emotional and substance abuse which leaves the responsibility of rearing a child with morals, self-respect, and respect for others on the existing parent’s shoulders. When no one instills those values then teachers endure the responsibility of trying to mentor the child or worse having to become the disciplinarian who ends up spending more time reprimanding than teaching. The final word of advice to mothers of young boys is to teach them to respect you first and then raise them to respect themselves and others so much that you can rest assured that your son’s name will not make the headline news because of his irresponsible destructive and inexcusable actions that may land him in prison for up to 30 years.
