#metoo and Jimmy Williams

[CPL713]

@supernatural

I did not know him. I’m a constitutional law kinda gal. NO one filed criminal charges, no charges that I know of. I’m defending HIS right to his reputation , guilty or not, until proven guilty. It’s a lot easier to crucify someone when they are sick or dead than pick on all the true perverts still out there , doing their thing, people know, puhleeeze dear God don’t make it seem like JW was allegedly the only offender. I only want for him want any of you would want. A right to defend yourself.

Again… the victim story of said people in this article??? Well how many been hit in by her.

Also, USEF has the legal right to remove his name from an award for whatever reason they see fit (which they did VERY quietly when they could have put him on blast) so…do we just care about the “rights” of a pervert?

I would bet money that if JW was alive today and this story came out, you would be railing against his accusers for destroying the career and reputation of a living person.

[vxf111]

fair judy, it’s very brave of you to share now. The fear/pain/stigma don’t necessarily go away just because the abuser has died

[Natalie]

Just wanted to join in the bravo to fair judy—thanks for being so strong and brave now. It’s still so important, for you and everyone else out there.

[Denali6298]

Bravo fair Judy!

[Salty]

Thank you, Fair Judy. Your courage has me in awe.

[BAC]

@fordtraktor

There was an extensive thread on it in the Eventing forum and COTH mods repeatedly deleted the name from posts. Quite a few posters named the accused, all deleted. The accused sounds litigious so I don’t really blame them but it is disappointing to have that “policy” then discarded when the accused is deceased.

i am not in camp Accused, to be clear…I just feel the Eventing thread should have not been altered. Full disclosure, I was sexually harassed at horse events by two employees but never a BNT. In some ways that is very hard because there are no witnesses and nobody cares if a random groom grabs your ass and boobs multiple times, always at weird times like 5 am at the wash rack when you both have greys to groom.

Is that a recent thread in the Eventing forum? I have no idea who you are talking about but just the though of the various possibilities makes me sick.

[Current_Options]

@BAC

Is that a recent thread in the Eventing forum? I have no idea who you are talking about but just the though of the various possibilities makes me sick.

yes
I will PM you who it is

#metoo are protecting the abuser? is the title, something like that.

[BAC]

Thanks Current_Options, I did find the Eventing thread.

[fordtraktor]

Sarah H, you are an amazingly brave person to come forward. I am so sorry he did that to you and that you had the additional pressure of all the potential violence to fear as well. ((hugs))

[Bobby7]

@Current_Options

yes
I will PM you who it is

#metoo are protecting the abuser? is the title, something like that.

Can you PM me as well please.

[RedHorses]

Has anyone here made a report/complaint to Safe Sport about a coach they know should be avoided?

[JanM]

Maybe some of the attorneys can chime in on this.

A long time ago I had a business law class, and at that time we were told the dead have no legal rights, and therefore, you can’t be sued for defamation, etc. I don’t know if that’s still true legally, or if I misunderstood what they told us. I don’t know if there is another way to hit back against someone who didn’t file charges when the person was alive.

[BAC]

COTH’s Untacked did a big article about Flintridge barely a year ago, it makes me wonder about the guys like Hap Hansen, Mason Phelps and Robert Ridland, who all rode there with JW and if they were aware of what was going on, and if so, will they speak up now?

[Amado]

@Bobby7

Can you PM me as well please.

Me as well, please.

[Nickelodian]

@2bayboys

It’s very sad to see some of the comments on the COTH Facebook page in relation to this article. Attacking the victims. And people wonder why women and girls still don’t come forward with their stories of abuse.

Having lived through this myself, I have zero interest in being the whistle blower. I would be ostracized in a tight knit community. I know he did it to multiple girls in the 80s and 90s. And even today I won’t be the one to come forward. We’ve come a long way, but not that long.

[Moli]

I was at Flintridge for a long time, and I cannot connect these initials. Who, please is IIRC?

[marginall]

I don’t blame victims for not coming forward. Sadly, our overwhelmingly female-dominated sport will always rally behind its men first. I do blame the adult women who choose to turn a blind eye when their beloved trainer “dates” a teenager or a vulnerable young woman. Adults need to care more about calling creeps out than being popular in their local horse community, care more about doing what’s right than how many likes they get on Facebook.

[bugsynskeeter]

@Moli

I was at Flintridge for a long time, and I cannot connect these initials. Who, please is IIRC?

IIRC - If I Recall Correctly

[Ellie09]

I showed through the late 80’s and early 90’s. was lucky to never had experienced anything that many did. As the mother of young children I ask that anyone that knows of potential abusers to please report them. https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SafeSport&layout_id=0

It is our responsibility to both give our children the freedom that we had as kids, to spend time at the barn without total structure, and to play without 100% supervision. This teaches them critical skills and decision making ability that they will need as they grow up and makes them independent thinkers.

But it is our responsibility to protect them. If a sex offender moved into your neighborhood you would not be happy so why allow them to stable in the tent next to you?

Please do the right thing. Use the link above or https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/rules-regulations/safe-sport

Thank you for our kids.

[Raymundo]

@ladyj79

Yes they did.

if you read through the Facebook thread there’s a…person who discounts the victims because Anne Kursinski is a meanie. My guess is it’s this same person here.

Judy Richter’s response in the Facebook comments is :eek: