#SpeakingOut

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Observer:

Alberto Rodriguez (El Patron) did an interview with Hugo Savinovich. He was doing the interview trying to get fans to stop harassing promoters and wrestlers working on shows with him, saying he’s never been convicted of anything. Among the things he said was that he and Saraya Bevis (Paige) agreed to a non-disclosure agreement as part of their break-up and that if either said anything bad in public about the other the penalty would be $1 million. He said he then found out Bevis could never pay him that much if he sued, noting she didn’t own a home or a car and only had about $70,000 in the bank. I’m not sure what that says but she would have signed her WWE downside long before AEW came along and the new TV deal came along and the women were under very low number contracts. WWE hasn’t fired her even though she can’t wrestle due to neck injuries. He believes her inferring abuse was breaking that agreement. He said that he can’t respond to her because he would be breaking the agreement and that would cost money he’s saved up for his children based on the agreement. His claim is that he was cheating on the girlfriend who made the allegations about him, and she found out, and then claims she made up all the abuse charges against him. The one thing was that police came and she had all kinds of bruises consistent with her claims of what happened, although if you follow situations like this, her recanting the story isn’t a surprise either. He said that the woman recanted everything. This was before the trial that was to open on 5/3 in San Antonio. He also said the NLL promotion would return. He said the reason he was able to make it as a headliner in WWE while other Mexicans couldn’t was due to his superior talent and ability. It was actually because they felt he looked like a star because he was tall and good looking and spoke English and Spanish so well. Even when he wasn’t one of the most over guys, he’d be brought to all the media functions with Cena and others ahead of many bigger stars and even better talkers because the they felt with his looks and stature that how well he dressed, and also being bi-lingual which they felt was important, he represented the company well. I remember years back when Punk and Bryan were super over, they’d have a big media event and it would be Stephanie, Paul Levesque, Cena and Alberto talking and Punk and Bryan weren’t even brought in. He spoke positively about WWE, like he was interested in going back, but at his age and having quit multiple times, not to mention his track record, that would be tough even for WWE

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Why do sexual misconduct allegations manifest differently in pro wrestling?

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EDITORIAL: Speaking Up About Speaking Out

As we approach one year since the Speaking Out Movement rocked the industry, John Pollock looks at the next steps necessary to move forward.

https://www.postwrestling.com/2021/05/2 ... aking-out/

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Thanks to Bix for pointing this out.

https://sports.yahoo.com/wwe-hires-infa ... 14924.html

WWE announced on Tuesday that sports media exec Jamie Horowitz has been hired to oversee development and digital content, effective immediately. In his new role, he'll be responsible for scripted and unscripted programs for digital and social media, which is taking on more importance at WWE since WWE Network was moved over to NBC's digital platform, Peacock.

If the name Jamie Horowitz is familiar to you, it's probably because he's made quite a mark on the sports media industry over the last decade. He's responsible for ESPN's "embrace debate" philosophy, which introduced the trend of contrarian sports yelling with shows like "First Take" and "SportsNation"...

A huge round of layoffs was announced just one week before Horowitz was fired [by FOX Sports] in July 2017 amid a sexual harassment probe. Horowitz denied all allegations, and his unceremonious firing didn't stop him from getting a major position overseeing digital programming at DAZN in 2018.

Horowitz's history is well known within the industry, and it has some wondering why WWE would hire someone with such a controversial past.

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As the first anniversary is just days away, some terrific perspective on this subject in the world of sports media.

https://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/story ... :nfl:index

THE SUCCESSFUL MEN who commit these acts depend on the sympathy of a world that sees them as the protagonist of their story and the women they victimize as obstacles to be overcome en route to redemption. A common refrain in cases of athletes found guilty of sexual assault is a mourning of their lost potential. The touchdowns that might have been scored! The games that might have been won!

Women aren't viewed through the same lens. Their potential is never grieved, the effects of their victimization never counted.

Our obsession with sport clouds our morality and allows us to favor the men who thrill us over the women they harass. [Jenn] Sterger isn't going to win you your fantasy football league, the reporter who exposed [Jared] Porter isn't going to draft the next David Wright and the female students that former LSU head coach Les Miles allegedly harassed aren't going to bring the university millions in booster money after a winning season...

The truth is, the ceiling for women in sports is higher than ever, but the floor is the same.

You can be almost anything -- analyst, play-by-play or color commentator, referee, coach, GM, CEO, owner -- but you'll almost certainly have to go through a gauntlet of disrespect, intimidation, manipulation, sexual harassment and misconduct along the way. And even when you've "made it," there are no guarantees.

We will continue to blame women and offer men redemption until we reckon with the deeply rooted misogyny that stands in the way of gender equity in this country and dictates the spaces in which women are considered welcome. Until we reject the notion that women are a temptation that men can't resist and stop excusing unprofessional behavior or harassment as an inevitability. Until we accept that standing by silently is an act of complicity, not neutrality.

If you care about making this industry a place for everyone, just posting cheery Instagram comments on National Girls and Women in Sports Day and "Share a list of your favorite female sports reporters" tweets ain't gonna cut it. You're a part of the problem if you express public outrage about an accused reporter, athlete or coach without also checking your own house. Because it's probably happening where you are, too...

Instead of just reacting to the latest woman coming forward, are you proactively asking the people you work with if they're doing OK? If they need help reporting? If they feel like the colleagues they work with and for would support them in calling out bad behavior? Are you properly vetting potential employees, including conversations with women who have worked alongside them in the past?

Are you whispering about a player, manager or boss whose behavior is the "worst-kept secret" in the industry instead of reporting him? Are you excusing blatantly boorish behavior and language as if those aren't signs of potentially worse behavior behind closed doors? Are you shrugging away misogyny as "locker room talk" instead of recognizing that it creates an atmosphere in which women feel like outsiders and men feel entitled?

We keep asking when sports media will have its #MeToo Movement, but that can't happen until we admit, finally, that our industry is broken. While many express shock when a horrific tale of harassment goes public, the fingers point at the individual without any calls to change industry culture. The sports world is so steeped in misogyny and machismo, it feels like many see the antediluvian treatment of women in the media as an inevitability.

It's time to start preventing instead of responding. To be proactive, not reactive. We can't let another Jenn Sterger go through it alone, re-victimized by an industry that chose hero worship over accountability, an industry that didn't show up for its own.

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One year later, I can bring the heat to the wrestlers, promoters, and media that have failed to take accountability and stop being silent and/or complicit, that have failed to hold themselves, their contemporaries, their supposed leadership, and the industry they cover truly accountable, that have failed to use their platform and resources to loudly advocate for better, for the past 365 years and beyond.

Today will not be that day. But it may come.

Instead, it's a day that I hope everyone will take substantial time to reflect on, especially those of you that failed to do so for the past 365 days.

Get educated on the subject of workplace abuse and harassment, the subject of sexual assault, the subject of domestic violence, the subject of grooming that occurs between people of different generations, and the subject of bullying in general. Open your hearts to be compassionate to the accusers and their trauma, rather than waiting for the tragic moments like the murders of Nancy and Daniel Benoit, or the suicides of Tom Cole, Chris Kanyon, and Ashley Massaro. And when moments like that *DO* happen again someday, don't let them just be flavor-of-the-week/month topics again as has sadly happened with Speaking Out.

And for those of you who have suffered in ways that were spotlighted during the Speaking Out movement - please know that you're not alone.

Today, 10 charities have been chosen that coincide with the one-year passing of what was supposed to be an absolutely massive enema to the entire industry, from Europe to North America to Japan. These 10 organizations are doing their part outside the realm of pro wrestling.

STOMP Out Bullying
https://www.stompoutbullying.org/

STOMP Out Bullying™ is the leading national nonprofit dedicated to changing the culture for all students. It works to reduce and prevent bullying, cyberbullying and other digital abuse, educates against homophobia, LGBTQIA+ discrimination, racism and hatred, and deters violence in schools, online and in communities across the country. STOMP Out Bullying promotes civility, diversity, inclusion, equity and equality. It teaches effective solutions on how to respond to all forms of bullying, as well as educating kids and teens in school and online. It provides help for those in need and at risk of suicide, and raises awareness through peer mentoring programs in schools, public service announcements by noted celebrities, and social media campaigns.

Time's Up Legal Defense Fund
https://timesupfoundation.org/work/time ... ense-fund/

The TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund™ supports individuals who’ve experienced sexual harassment or retaliation at work to come forward to seek justice — and to protect others from similar behavior.

The TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund can help by:

1. Connecting you to attorneys for a free initial consultation.
2. For select cases, the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund helps pay legal fees and costs.
3. For select cases, the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund can connect you to and help pay for public relations assistance.

Housed and administered by the National Women’s Law Center Fund, all operations of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund are completely independent of the TIME’S UP Foundation and TIME’S UP Now. Decisions about cases, eligibility, and funding are made by TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund staff at the National Women’s Law Center Fund, based on a rigorous evaluation against a consistent set of guidelines that are in no way influenced by any outside agenda, person, organization, or entity.

Working Women's Network Japan
http://wwn-net.org/english/

Below description courtesy Gaijinpot

In a country where women continue to face huge challenges in building a career, the WWN fights to close the gender gap in working conditions. The WWN’s goals are to eliminate gender-based discrimination in hiring and job evaluation, establish equal pay, and combat sexual harassment in the workplace. The WWN has supported various legal cases related to gender discrimination and sexual harassment, including the high-profile case of Rina Bovrisse. Bovrisse’s lawsuit against Prada Japan eventually reached the United Nations, and resulted in a UN statement calling for the Japanese government to introduce new regulations making sexual harassment illegal.

The WWN conducts research on the status of working women, and submits reports to CEDAW, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as well as the Japanese government. These reports can be read on their website. Anyone who wishes to support the WWN’s activities can become a member or send a donation.

The Grateful Garment Project
https://gratefulgarment.org/

The Grateful Garment Project’s (TGGP) mission is to ensure that every victim of a sexual crime who crosses the threshold of a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) facility or who seeks medical attention and/or law enforcement involvement is provided with whatever new clothing, toiletries, snacks, and other miscellaneous items that they may require. We have further expanded our mission and vision to encompass all victims of sexual violence. This includes, but is not limited to Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) and victims of Human Sexual Trafficking (HST).

Our scope is wide but our purpose is narrow: The Vision of TGGP is that no victim of sexual violence in our communities should ever experience further suffering due to a lack of clothing to wear home after he or she receives services from a Sexual Violence Service Provider.

The Trevor Project
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

In 1994, producers Peggy Rajski and Randy Stone saw writer/performer Celeste Lecesne bring to life Trevor, a character they created as part of their award-winning one-man show WORD OF MOUTH. Convinced Trevor’s story would make a wonderful short film, Stone and Rajski invited Lecesne to adapt it into a screenplay. Rajski directed the movie and TREVOR went on to win many prestigious awards including the Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short Film.

The Oscar-winning film eventually launched a national movement. When producer Randy Stone secured an airing on HBO with Ellen DeGeneres hosting, director/producer Peggy Rajski discovered there was no real place for young people like Trevor to turn when facing challenges similar to his. She quickly recruited mental health experts and figured out how to build the infrastructure necessary for a nationwide 24-hour crisis line, and writer Celeste Lecesne secured the funds to start it. On the night their funny and moving coming-of-age story premiered on HBO in 1998, these visionary filmmakers launched the Trevor Lifeline, the first national crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning youth.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people in crisis have reached out to The Trevor Project’s multiple in-person and online life-saving, life-affirming resources–Trevor Lifeline, TrevorChat, TrevorSpace and Trevor Education Workshops.

The Trevor Project is the premier organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ teens and young adults.

MaleSurvivor
https://malesurvivor.org/

Every man who has experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse deserves access to a judgment-free space where he can heal on his own terms and without shame. For 25 years, MaleSurvivor has fostered a healing community where tens of thousands of men from more than 200 countries come together to find support, information and — most importantly — hope.

MaleSurvivor is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, public benefit organization committed to preventing, healing, and eliminating all forms of sexual victimization of boys and men through support, treatment, research, education, advocacy, and activism.

Formed in 1995, MaleSurvivor has an international membership of over 14,000 registered members from over 200 countries in the world. MaleSurvivor is primarily funded by member donations. Visit guidestar.org to confirm MaleSurvivor’s nonprofit status . MaleSurvivor’s EIN is 41-1831829. All contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Read our detailed history, accomplishments and international conferences.

MaleSurvivor is dedicated to providing personalized support for men at every stage of the healing process. We facilitate dialogue among survivors, as well as between survivors and professional therapists, on our online forums like a vibrant and moderated discussion board, online 24/7 chat and at in-person events. We provide educational resources that help empower them to process their past and look forward to a brighter future. And we do everything in a way that recognizes and respects the diversity of survivors and their allies.

Know Your IX
https://www.knowyourix.org/

Founded in 2013, Know Your IX is a survivor- and youth-led project of Advocates for Youth that aims to empower students to end sexual and dating violence in their schools. We envision a world in which all students can pursue their civil right to educations free from violence and harassment. We recognize that gender violence is both a cause of inequity and a consequence of it, and we believe that women, transgender, and gender non-conforming students will not have equality in education or opportunity until the violence ends. We draw upon the civil rights law Title IX as an alternative to the criminal legal system — one that is more just and responsive to the educational, emotional, financial, and stigmatic harms of violence.

We support the choices survivors make — whether or not to report, and to whom to report — and recognize that these choices are particularly difficult because our laws and communities offer a severely limited set of options for survivors. Given the tremendous flaws and violence of the criminal justice system, we celebrate Title IX’s potential to create effective anti-carceral responses to serious harms while recognizing that this promise has not yet been realized.

We accomplish our mission through:

- Educating college and high school students in the United States about their legal rights to safe educations free from gender-based harms;
- Training, organizing, and supporting student survivor activists in challenging their educational institutions to address violence and discrimination;
- Advocating for policy change at the campus, state, and federal levels to ensure meaningful systemic action to end gender violence.
- Read our full statement of values here.

love is respect
https://www.loveisrespect.org/

love is respect is the national resource to disrupt and prevent unhealthy relationships and intimate partner violence by empowering young people through inclusive and equitable education, support, and resources.

A project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, love is respect offers 24/7 information, support, and advocacy to young people between the ages of 13 and 26 who have questions or concerns about their romantic relationships. We also provide support to concerned friends and family members, teachers, counselors, and other service providers through the same free and confidential services via phone, text, and live chat.

We aim to be a safe and inclusive space for young people to access help and information in a setting specifically for them. We provide comprehensive education through resources including quizzes, interactive pages, and testimonials, as well as training, toolkits, and curriculum for educators, peers, and parents to promote healthy relationships and prevent future abuse.

Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network
https://www.rainn.org/
Call 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE, online.rainn.org y rainn.org/es) in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.

Protect Our Defenders
https://www.protectourdefenders.com/

Protect Our Defenders (POD) is the pre-eminent national human rights organization dedicated to ending sexual violence, victim retaliation, misogyny, sexual prejudice, and racism in the military and combating a culture that has allowed it to persist.

We honor, support, and give voice to survivors of military sexual violence. We seek reform to ensure all service members are provided a safe and respectful work environment free from misogyny and racism, and have access to a fair, impartially administered system of justice.

The women and men who serve in our Armed Forces should not have to work in an environment where harassment and sexual assault is widespread and victims face retribution for reporting their assaults. Service members deserve a system of justice worthy of the American principles they have dedicated their lives to protect.

The prevalence of sexual violence, victim retaliation, misogyny and racism in the military and a culture that has allowed it to persist erode military values of integrity and sacrifice, undermine good order and discipline and exacerbate existing inequalities for women, people of color and LGBTQ service members. Reforming this culture will strengthen our military, and promote unit cohesion and morale.

Protect Our Defenders has a deep understanding of military process and procedure. We work respectfully and collaboratively, engaging stakeholders who can speak from personal experience about the need for reform, to promote change from outside and from within the military.

Protect Our Defenders deploys a multifaceted effort towards reform. Every day, through policy reform, advocacy, public education, and pro bono support, we work to provide those who serve in our military a safe and respectful environment free from harassment and abuse, and to create a justice system that can fairly and effectively adjudicate these crimes.

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https://twitter.com/Sienna/status/1410347727142195205

I hate being put in this position, but I am pulling out of “Thunder or Blunder” on 7/31 in Indianapolis. It’s been brought to my attention that the promoter is defending convicted pedophile Joey Venom. I gave him an opportunity to explain and he continued to defend him.

He was offering a lot of money for a single booking and I know it would’ve led to more. It really sucks to turn that down when you’re hustling on the indies, but one of the few blessings of social media is that there are so many avenues to make money. Promoters do not control you

I felt I’d be doing a disservice if I pulled out of this silently. People deserve to know who they’ll be working for & where they’re spending money. This is also me saying to fellow wrestlers:

If you’re uncomfortable for any reason, YOU DO NOT NEED THAT BOOKING.

I have a feeling this is going to happen more often now. It’s been a year since #SpeakingOut & so much was brought to light that I’m not even aware of all the stories. Creeps will do what they do best & try to CREEP back into the business, & their defenders will too.

This is where we have to put our foot down if we want any real change. We can’t go back to how we were before, & that’s said knowing there’s still so much yet to be exposed

There is little justice in our legal system, but we CAN hold our own communities accountable. And we will.

[NewROHFan2020]

https://www.tmz.com/2021/07/13/matt-rid ... txRbHEd1rI

Matt Riddle is in the clear now. Sorry SJWs!

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Has the same stench as the Alberto case (ie, monetary settlement, the accused got away with a violent crime by finding something to leverage on the accuser, etc.)

[famicommander]

Michael Elgin continues to be scum:
https://wrestlingnews.co/other/aaron-fr ... bal-abuse/

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Britt McHenry reaches settlement over sexual harassment lawsuit against Tyrus

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https://twitter.com/hawleeasaur/status/ ... 34244?s=21
https://twitter.com/hawleeasaur/status/ ... 04071?s=21

Well over a year and still not the slightest given from AEW (directly or through wrestling media) about Justin Roberts and Darby Allin.

[famicommander]

https://twitter.com/hawleeasaur/status/ ... 34244?s=21
https://twitter.com/hawleeasaur/status/ ... 04071?s=21

Well over a year and still not the slightest given from AEW (directly or through wrestling media) about Justin Roberts and Darby Allin.

Don Callis, Dustin Rhodes, Jake Hager... they really don't seem to care as long as the internet isn't in a huff about it.

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Hopefully, this will inspire those in pro wrestling and elsewhere to have the courage to speak out even more against various abusers and not tolerate the pushback.

BREAKING: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigns amid a barrage of sexual harassment allegations a year after he was hailed for his leadership during the darkest days of COVID-19.
https://t.co/RKWEVzKVYR?amp=1

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#MeToo Has Changed the World—Except in Court

Judges continue to enforce a standard that makes proving claims of sexual harassment incredibly difficult.

By Danielle Bernstein

[Big Red Machine]

#MeToo Has Changed the World—Except in Court

Judges continue to enforce a standard that makes proving claims of sexual harassment incredibly difficult.

By Danielle Bernstein

It's almost like when you're in a court of law, people are innocent until proven guilty.

[NewROHFan2020]

#MeToo Has Changed the World—Except in Court

Judges continue to enforce a standard that makes proving claims of sexual harassment incredibly difficult.

By Danielle Bernstein

It's almost like when you're in a court of law, people are innocent until proven guilty.

Not on this forum. Some on here will believe any tweet they see and hold it up as proof of guilt. Or future storylines.

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Read beyond the headline.

[Big Red Machine]

Read beyond the headline.

I tried, but the link just took me back here

Link correctly.

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Read beyond the headline.

I tried, but the link just took me back here

Link correctly.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archi ... ts/619732/