Johns’ reputation is a key part of his future earning capacity. At the moment his reputation is sinking faster than the Irish economy. Sydney talkback callers are ignoring the Budget to keep talking about Johns. Even his well-meaning supporters are doing him damage with arguments like: ’sure group sex is disgusting but …’. Instead of bunkering down in Broome, he needs to do something about it, and fast. Here’s a three-point plan:
1) Apologise. He doesn’t have to admit rape or anything illegal. But he does have to apologise, and publicly, for any hurt or damage the woman has felt as a result of this incident. We all do this. We do something without intending any hurt, but if we subsequently discover our actions have hurt someone we apologise for these unintended consequences. It’s called accepting personal responsibility not just for our intentions but for the consequences. Only children can get away with “I didn’t mean it”. If he apologises he will help the woman and he will earn respect from fair-minded people. Because we all stuff up, what you do afterwards is what matters. The good guys accept responsibility.
2) Make restitution. He should do something to help the woman i.e. give her some money to help with medical bills or something. This will again help the woman, but it will also demonstrate that his apology is sincere, and meaningful.
3) Make a difference. He should offer to help an organisation that deals with abuse of women, perhaps one that deals with domestic violence or rape or the plight of abandoned mothers. Anything that will show that he ‘gets it’ and that he is determined to change his attitudes. This should include working with the NRL to help change the culture among younger players.
The plan will be hard to implement. Many people will scoff, that’s why he needs to do more than a few words on the footy show. But the issue will go away if he does these things and he will have his reputation, his earning capacity and his self-respect restored. Surely, that’s worth the initial embarrassment.
5 Comments
Does Johns have to be sincere in actioning the above 3 point plan –or is it expert opinion that just a bit of cynical spin, a bit of motor mouth,a few dollars and a charity gig will do the trick?
It’s bizarre how the story seems to have morphed into being all about the future of Johns’ career. I’d rather be hearing much more about the woman and what she needs to rebuild her life, and more broadly what can help other women in such situations. I also find the cynicism of the suggestions above a tad sickening. Rather than just suggesting Johns do something that is seen to help the woman, what about a genuine attempt to help her? This would mean asking her and those who’ve been caring for her what might really help, or what she’d really like. Not some slick, empty gesture of “restitution”. Of course, it’s highly likely that what might really help her might prove quite confronting and difficult for Johns and his ilk to muster.
We should only require Johns to be sincerely sorry when the consenting adult at the centre of this story apologises for dragging his family through the media circus again.
this is not a s*x crime and Johns is not a criminal. Don’t let your dislike of group s*x confuse the issue
public figures like Johns only need to dance with the press because the press loves exploiting wowsers like marym and other voyeurs
“Because we all stuff up, what you do afterwards is what matters.”
We all stuff up? Yeah, we lose our car keys and say insensitive things and forget appointments. Do we cheat on our wives in a group sex act with 10 men on one woman with only the greyest possible notion of consent?
mmm. yep, it’s what you do afterwards that matters. Say you’re sorry and give her some cash and it’ll be sweet mate.
Another very important lesson that needs to be learnt from this scandal is the massive damage caused by spin doctors and media minders. The spin implicitly condones the behaviour of these very immature young men, encouraging the worst excesses, and worst of all it entrenches these behaviours in young immature minds. Without the spin, media minders, and legal protection this behaviour would have been nipped in the bud and everyone would have benefited. There is too much money involved in rugby league to enable the truth to be told, so we owe a great thanks to our national broadcaster for this expose because no commercial would have the guts to stand up against the advertising dollars, the media minders, and the legal teams. The spin doctors have hijacked the fourth estate, once the guardians of our free speech and democracy.