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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
Posts: 11166
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 Posted: 07/14/19 6:27 pm ::: Consistent responses |
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So now the league and the teams are in a tough position. They didn't suspend
Riquna Williams and will let her play the entire season, it appears, so the same response must be given to Natasha Howard and any other WNBA player or employee who is accused of beating up a female in a domestic dispute.
The Odyssey Sims' DUI falls into the same category, as one would expect similar punishments to those in the past.
It would seem that the league and players' association need to get together and work out some interim policies that make it clear what will happen in these kinds of cases so that individuals and teams are treated fairly -- and everyone understands what's at stake.
Given what has happened with Williams, Howard seems untouchable ... which is not the way things should be. The WNBA has failed miserably in this entire process ...
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FrozenLVFan
Joined: 08 Jul 2014
Posts: 3517
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| Posted: 07/14/19 6:31 pm ::: |
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There's not a lot of consistency in this forum either. Williams has had some posters saying no action should be taken until she's convicted in court. Howard has received almost universal condemnation, and based on what is known so far, she seems unlikely to even end up in court if the physical assaults all occurred overseas.
I have to say that I'm about done with the WNBA. I quit watching the Patriots in particular even though I was a rabid fan for years, and the NFL in general, because I was tired of reading about players beating up their female partners and the team owners and league doing nothing about it. This current situation is equally disgusting.
Last edited by FrozenLVFan on 07/14/19 8:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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zune69
Joined: 27 May 2010
Posts: 8183
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| Posted: 07/14/19 8:17 pm ::: |
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I know I've said this before, but this will be my final season following the WNBA. In fact, I won’t be watching any more games or posting on Rebkell after the All-star game. I’m absolutely disgusted at how the league has handled the reckless behavior of the players and coaches (Sims, Williams, Howard, Todd Troxel). They promote equality and Women's rights but choose to stay silent when Women are "allegedly" being abused at the hands of its players and coaches. The league stays quiet when one of their players/coaches are involved in domestic violence or drunk driving in the hopes that the incident(s) get swept under the rug and never sees the light.
The WNBA couldn't care less about Women's rights or the LGBT fan base. If they did, they would address the high rate of domestic violence in the LGBT community. Some players, fans and media members want WNBA players to get paid like their male counterparts, but don't want the same backlash or consequences for the same actions.
Last edited by zune69 on 07/14/19 10:11 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 5065
Location: New York City
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| Posted: 07/14/19 8:39 pm ::: |
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All this is very distressing. ClayK is exactly right: "The WNBA has failed miserably in this entire process." No question. Everything said by FrozenLVFan and zune69 is also on the mark. It's sad that you've both come to this point... but with good reason. I respect whatever decisions you feel you need to make.
I became a passionate fan of women's sports in 1974 while teaching at Queens College in New York City. I discovered that Queens had one of the best women's basketball teams in the U.S. I came to feel that women's sports was an important part of the fight for feminism and for LGBTQ rights.
Alas, it is no surprise that women's sports has been corrupted by the familiar poisons of men's sports. I tell everyone that I love AND hate sports. The three statements in this thread explain quite well how I feel about all that's rotten in the sports world.
I wish I had some good answers, but I don't.
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FrozenLVFan
Joined: 08 Jul 2014
Posts: 3517
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| Posted: 07/14/19 8:49 pm ::: |
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We'll have to see what, if any, backlash the league receives over this, because the commentary so far is not putting the WNBA in a good light.
https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/natasha-howard-to-continue-playing-as-seattle-storm-wnba-look-into-domestic-violence-accusations/
"As of this point, Howard is not facing any punishment from either the Storm or the WNBA. Unlike many leagues, the WNBA does not currently have a specific policy regarding domestic violence. Prior to their game against the New York Liberty on Sunday night, the Storm released another statement saying that Howard will suit up for the game."
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/storm/storm-wnba-looking-into-domestic-abuse-allegations-against-all-star-forward-natasha-howard/
"Natasha was recently selected to start in her first All-Star game and is averaging career bests this season in points per game (17.6) and rebounds (8.5)."
https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/27183537/storm-howard-play-abuse-allegations
"Seattle Storm forward Natasha Howard will play in Sunday's game against New York despite allegations of domestic violence her wife made on social media Saturday....This is the second domestic incident in the WNBA this season. Los Angeles Sparks guard Riquna Williams was arrested in April after authorities say she attacked her former girlfriend at a Florida home. Williams had her court hearing postponed last month and has been playing for the Sparks all season."
And from Twitter...
The fact that The WNBA is still letting Riquna Williams and Natasha Howard play after the Domestic Violence Allegations against them is not the example you wanna set on your league that made its mission on empowering women.
The way the league and Storm handle the Natasha Howard situation is incredibly important and could have far reaching impact in the way other leagues treat domestic violence
@seattlestorm You guys better do something about the tweets on Natasha Howard's account. Do the right thing instead of sweeping it under the rug. Better to lose than to win with an abuser on your team.
Add Seattles Natasha Howard to the list. Allegations from her spouse of physical abuse. These ‘’ladies’’ need to get their acts together. Williams, Sims and Howard should ALL be suspended for 7 games immediately and be taken off the all-star rosters!!!
From M Voepel:
Was hoping to get some clarification from @seattlestorm on their statement that Natasha Howard will play today, in regard to what specifically went into that decision. At this point, they are not releasing that publicly.
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 66980
Location: Where the action is
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| Posted: 07/14/19 8:52 pm ::: |
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The new commissioner should not be bound by the hobgoblins of interim executives.
Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today.
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shontay33
Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 471
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| Posted: 07/14/19 9:08 pm ::: |
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| FrozenLVFan wrote: |
There's not a lot of consistency in this forum either. Williams has had some posters saying no action should be taken until she's convicted in court. Howard has received almost universal condemnation, and based on what is known so far, she seems unlikely to even end up in court if the physical assaults all occurred overseas.
I have to say that I'm about done with the WNBA. I quit watching the Patriots in particular even though I was a rabid fan for years, and the NFL in general, because I was tired of reading about players beating up their female partners and the team owners and league doing nothing about it. This current situation is equally disgusting. |
It could end up in court if Howard’s former partner wants to press charges instead of posting things on social media. Most people on here have said that the police won’t do anything but yet, they came with her to get her belongings. It is obvious that as law enforcers they believed that Howard’s partner had a legit reason to be afraid.
It seems that some people do not understand that in some cases, the victim stays quiet or doesn’t want charges against their abuser so they don’t testify or say anything in court and the case gets dismissed.
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FrozenLVFan
Joined: 08 Jul 2014
Posts: 3517
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| Posted: 07/14/19 10:07 pm ::: |
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| shontay33 wrote: |
| FrozenLVFan wrote: |
There's not a lot of consistency in this forum either. Williams has had some posters saying no action should be taken until she's convicted in court. Howard has received almost universal condemnation, and based on what is known so far, she seems unlikely to even end up in court if the physical assaults all occurred overseas.
I have to say that I'm about done with the WNBA. I quit watching the Patriots in particular even though I was a rabid fan for years, and the NFL in general, because I was tired of reading about players beating up their female partners and the team owners and league doing nothing about it. This current situation is equally disgusting. |
It could end up in court if Howard’s former partner wants to press charges instead of posting things on social media. Most people on here have said that the police won’t do anything but yet, they came with her to get her belongings. It is obvious that as law enforcers they believed that Howard’s partner had a legit reason to be afraid.
It seems that some people do not understand that in some cases, the victim stays quiet or doesn’t want charges against their abuser so they don’t testify or say anything in court and the case gets dismissed. |
I understand that very well. If you reread what I wrote, I said the current case is unlikely to end up in court if all the physical assaults occurred overseas, i.e. when they were in Russia. I am skeptical that Howard will be arrested for verbal abuse and threats.
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justintyme
Joined: 08 Jul 2012
Posts: 8407
Location: Northfield, MN
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| Posted: 07/14/19 11:03 pm ::: |
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| FrozenLVFan wrote: |
| shontay33 wrote: |
| FrozenLVFan wrote: |
There's not a lot of consistency in this forum either. Williams has had some posters saying no action should be taken until she's convicted in court. Howard has received almost universal condemnation, and based on what is known so far, she seems unlikely to even end up in court if the physical assaults all occurred overseas.
I have to say that I'm about done with the WNBA. I quit watching the Patriots in particular even though I was a rabid fan for years, and the NFL in general, because I was tired of reading about players beating up their female partners and the team owners and league doing nothing about it. This current situation is equally disgusting. |
It could end up in court if Howard’s former partner wants to press charges instead of posting things on social media. Most people on here have said that the police won’t do anything but yet, they came with her to get her belongings. It is obvious that as law enforcers they believed that Howard’s partner had a legit reason to be afraid.
It seems that some people do not understand that in some cases, the victim stays quiet or doesn’t want charges against their abuser so they don’t testify or say anything in court and the case gets dismissed. |
I understand that very well. If you reread what I wrote, I said the current case is unlikely to end up in court if all the physical assaults occurred overseas, i.e. when they were in Russia. I am skeptical that Howard will be arrested for verbal abuse and threats. |
Exactly this. This situation demonstrates exactly why the law is really bad at dealing with DV. Typically the violent physical abuse comes last, and that is the only thing that the criminal justice system is really capable of handling...and even then it is all about punishment of the abuser, not so much about the health and safety of the survivor. But until they actually become violent, how do you define and prove emotional abuse: Gaslighting? Isolation? Veiled threats? Emotional manipulation? By the time the violence happens, the abused individual tends to be a broken shell of a person. Broken both emotionally and spiritually.
Add in that most of the time the survivor actively covers up the abuse as it happens, and it becomes even harder to prove in court because now they are no longer a "credible witness". Lawyers will say that they are making it up and point to comments they made before where they stated the abuser didn't do it (the proverbial "I fell down the stairs", but also typically with them denying straight up that the person abused them). So now the lawyer will call them a liar, an opportunist who is just "angry and want to get back at their client".
The courts are not always the best option for a survivor.
And that is even before the whole jurisdictional nightmare that this case invloves.
Specific to this case she has mentioned in numerous places that she is less interested in having her charged with anything than having her get help and making sure people are aware of what happened so it can't keep happening, so that also makes it less likely that charges will be brought.
But all of this is also why it is so import that society addresses the realities of DV. Because it is through awareness, empathy, and support that we can effect change and say "enough is enough". Because asking the legal system to do it is a losing battle.
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