Local Sexual Assault Victims’ Advocates React to The Patrick Kane Saga
Last week, Chicago Blackhawks star winger Patrick Kane spoke to the media ahead of the team’s training camp at Notre Dame University near South Bend, IN last week.
Kane is currently at the center of a police investigation involving allegations of a sexual assault nearby his hometown of Buffalo, NY. He read from a prepared statement:
"This has been an incredibly difficult time for many people. I cannot apologize enough for the distraction this has caused my family, my teammates, this incredible organization and of course our fans. While I have too much respect for the legal process to comment on an ongoing matter, I am confident that once the facts come to light, I will be absolved of having done nothing wrong."
Many observers slammed Kane and the team for allowing him to train and represent the team during the investigation.
According to the U.S. Justice Department’s National Crime Victimization Survey, 68 percent of sexual assaults are not reported. That makes sexual assault one of the nation’s most under reported crimes.
Wednesday afternoon, the attorney for the woman who accused Kane claimed that the police evidence bag containing the accuser's rape kit showed up on her mother's doorstep. According to criminal defense attorney Thomas J. Eoannou, the accuser's mother noticed the brown bag on her doorstep when she returned home from work.
Eoannou told reporters:"This is a classic example of why rape victims don't come forward. This is the worst case of victim blaming I've ever seen."
Sharmili Majmudar, the executive director of a Chicago-based organization called, Rape Victims Advocates, says that the Blackhawks created more questions than answers by having Kane at training camp instead of letting the legal process play out.
“I was disappointed they decided to put him on the training [camp] roster. Letting the legal process play out was actually a positive thing,” Majmudar says. “A lot of talk around this has been either focused around being supportive of Kane or saying she’s [alleged victim] in it for the money.”
Majmudar also has a message for those who supported the Blackhawks star without letting the legal process work itself out.
“To the folks supporting Kane, what message does that send to the victims of sexual violence? Maybe they haven’t reported an incident yet. There’s larger narrative.”
Musician and South side native, Nikki Lynette is a sexual assault survivor. She says that no matter how things play out, people always blame the accuser instead of looking at the person who may have committed sexual assault.
“I understand that some people are so limited and dumb that they can't fathom that assault is never the victim's fault,” Lynette said. “What does upset me is knowing that there are survivors of assault who are still affected by victim blaming, who really do believe it's their own fault.”
Lynette went on to say, “Honestly, I would never speak about being an abuse survivor if it wasn't for them. Because they deserve to have an advocate who is equally as loud and bullish as the a-sholes who point a finger and blame them for being attacked.”
Patrick Kane is expected to play in this week’s slate of preseason games.
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