Natasha Massey – the 25 year-old girlfriend of footballer Ched Evans, who was freed from prison this morning after serving half of his five years for raping an inebriated 19 year-old girl in a hotel room in North Wales – was yesterday forced to quit Twitter after being trolled by users calling her a ‘scum’ and a ‘mug’ and sending her death threats.
Ched Evan’s case is undeniably grim and has sparked huge controversy this week after comments made by TV presenter Judy Finnigan, who suggested the 25 year-old should be allowed to return to his football career because the victim was ‘drunk’ and the rape was ‘unpleasant’ but ‘not violent’. Controversy surrounding the case was further fuelled by Natasha’s appearance on This Morning two days ago, when she defended her decision to stay with the convicted rapist saying:
‘As soon as I found out that he'd been questioned over rape, my instinct was kind of protective of Ched, and I thought I have to stand by him.
‘So my thoughts and feelings over the cheating were put to one side and I just stepped in to help him through this terrible time."
She still believes in his innocence despite the jury's verdict, saying: ‘I had been with him for two-and-a-half years. I know Ched and I knew he wouldn't be capable of committing a crime like that. It was difficult at first. I never dreamed that Ched would be sent to prison. But straight away I got a message to him to say that I was standing by him and that everything will be OK... at first it was difficult, but then you adapt.’
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Her response, alongside Judy Finnigan's comments and the possibility that Evans could return to professional football, has caused outrage. An online petition opposing his return has now gathered around 150,000 signatures. Oh, and then Natasha started getting a torrent of death threats from strangers all over the country.
Many of us find it hard to understand why a woman would choose to stay with someone who has been convicted of committing a violent crime against another woman and many of the Tweets have centered around the idea that, by not leaving her boyfriend, Natasha is in some way condoning or even encouraging his actions. And even if she does believe he’s completely innocent (which she maintains), why would she stay with someone who had cheated on and publically humiliated her?
These are all important questions, but they they really questions that should be conveyed with trolling and death threats? Maybe Natasha is staying with someone she simply believes cheated on her. It’s not ideal – in fact it’s pretty shit - but how would you respond if a friend made a bad decision about a guy? Would you start publically abusing her and sending her death threats? Almost certainly not.
We don't have to agree with her decision, but directing the same sort of abuse at her that her boyfriend is getting is missing the point - he commited the crime, not her, and we have no idea what was behind her decision to stick by him. Maybe she really does believe he's innocent, or maybe she doesn't. But by sending her abuse for sticking by him, we're implying it's her job to police his behaviour. And if she ever does change her mind, or come to terms with what he's done? Then she'll need support, not a chorus of 'I told you so's' from an invisible online mob.
We're busy speculating over Natasha's decision to stick by Ched Evans says about her. But what does the speed and glee with which we condem other women say about the rest of us?
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Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophiecullinane
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.