ID :
86659
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 09:34
Auther :

Accused players didn't do AFL program

(AAP) - The AFL has admitted no players from a suburban Melbourne football club involved in rape allegations had taken part in its educational program about the treatment of women.

Police arrested 16 men on Tuesday and charged three with rape after two women
complained they were imprisoned and sexually assaulted by a group of men at Phillip
Island on October 10.
AFL Victoria chief executive Peter Schwab said on Wednesday while the Montmorency
Football Club participated in the AFL's Respect and Responsibility program, it had
only involved club officials.
The Northern Football League, in which Montmorency competes, is the first suburban
competition to participate in the program.
AFL Victoria didn't have enough resources to involve players so had spoken to
leaders with the hope that the message would filter down to players, Mr Schwab said.
"That is the president, senior coach, other committee people, other women who have a
substantial role in that football club," Mr Schwab, a former AFL footballer, told
reporters on Wednesday.
"I can't deny sometimes within a football club that message may not get all the way
down.
"I think education is an ongoing process, you can't just stop it once you get a bad
result ... it's horrific what's happened.
"We believe by starting with the decision makers, and creating a better environment
in a football club is the first step."
Mr Schwab said the AFL would offer support to the alleged victims whom he said were
"most damaged" by the incident.
He said he wanted to involve suburban footballers in its program - AFL players
receive such training - and he thought the league could change attitudes among some
young men but "there was a long way to go".
"We reach out to a demographic that we need to get the message across to - a
male-dominated sport," he said.
"We have to keep educating, we can punish these boys, they may get punished in the
court system, we could punish them down the line once that's done, deregister or
whatever, but if we go away from educating, we're giving up."
VicHealth chief executive Todd Harper said he would keep supporting and providing
funding for the AFL's Respect and Responsibility program.
"Absolutely we will, to walk away at this point in time, when we see the impact
sexual violence has on our community, is simply not an option," he told reporters,
adding he also sought more government support.
He said one in six Australian women would experience sexual violence in their lifetime.
Montmorency Football Club president Gary Green on Wednesday said the club was taking
the allegations very seriously and was cooperating fully with police.
"We as a football club are disgusted that anyone associated with the club could be
associated with these claims," Mr Green said.
The three Montmorency Under 19s teammates - Trent Cantwell, 18, of Lower Plenty,
Reuben James Mineo, 18, of Bundoora and a third boy, aged 17, who cannot be
identified - were granted bail on Tuesday night.
Cantwell and Mineo are due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday
for a filing hearing and the 17-year-old will face a children's court next month.
All of the other arrested men have been released pending further investigations.




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