There is a victim who needs sympathy, support and a second chance… and it is not Ched Evans

The debate surrounding whether the convicted rapist Ched Evans should be allowed to return to football has, at times, horrified me.

His 19 year old victim has been completely forgotten by too many people, both high profile and ordinary, who have a worrying lack of understanding about the increasing damage Evans has inflicted on the already shambolic attitude which our society has towards sexual assault.

The most common and painful reason I have heard people vomit up to Justify a return to football for Evans is that he has served his time and must be given a second chance.

Firstly, he has not served his time. Evans has only completed the custodial element of his sentence; he is currently on parole and could return to prison imminently should he breach the conditions of this.

Secondly, the fact that his custodial sentence for committing one of the most abhorrent and under-reported crimes totalled a pitiful two and a half years should horrify people. How does such a pathetic sentence act as any form of deterrent against rape? I cannot even begin to imagine the impact of his actions on his young victim’s life; she has had to change her identity five times and have minimal contact with her family to reduce the risk of being discovered by one of Evans’ nasty supporters. To even consider the idea that Evans has served his time makes a mockery of the victims of crime, who often have to deal with pro-longed suffering from such traumatic and life-ruining experiences.

I also have no idea when a ‘second chance’ for Evans became synonymous with resuming a privileged position as a role model and high-earning footballer. Certain fields of employment are prohibited to offenders. We would not accept a convicted rapist serving as a teacher or in Parliament, so why should we accept Ched Evans being cheered and supported after he committed the most abhorrent crime and has since shown little remorse or concern for the impact of his crime on his victim? Evans and his supporters are not allowing his victim a second chance. Indeed, the former Sheffield United striker’s family operate a vile and disgusting website as part of their campaign to maintain his innocence on which they are dismissing the prosecution evidence that the victim was drunk, despite this being unanimously agreed by the jury.

This website fuels Evans supporters and by including CCTV footage of his victim, along with the caption “Too drunk to consent?” they have prolonged the victims suffering by mocking her and encouraging others to dismiss the legitimacy of her claim. More importantly, the footage exposed her identity and police are now investigating whether this contributed to her name being leaked on twitter and made her a direct target of Evans brutal supporters.

The traumatic experience of Ched Evans victim even after the footballer’s conviction will only further prevent rape victims from coming forward. A return to his celebrity status and luxury lifestyle before he is even a fully free man is an unthinkable final step in a case which has completely forgotten the real victim and only reinforced the reality that our society does not take a strong enough stand against sexual assault. The BBC contacted all football clubs in League One and Two in England to inquire as to whether they would employ Evans.

None of them said yes, and he’s getting no sympathy from me.