Ian Kennedy

Let's look at how gang sexual violence has been treated in hockey over the last few decades.... 

This is a limited scope of examples, but will show the Hockey Canada assault is not isolated.

TW / / SA

a thread

🧵🧵🧵

1995 - A high-school girl alleged 5 members of the WHL's the Saskatoon Blades raped her. Ed Chynoweth, former CHL and WHL president and HoF member victim blamed to the media saying "Certainly if the reports I'm getting [are true], this wasn't her first time in the kip."

2/17

1995 - 1st overall NHL pick Ed Jovanovski, current Windsor Spitfires GM Bill Bowler, and fellow OHLer Cory Evans are charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a 24yo woman while playing for the Spitfires. David Branch was OHL commissioner at the time, and remains so today.

3/17

1996 - NHLers Todd Harvey and Grant Marshall of the Dallas Stars are arrested and charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a 20-year-old at a Winnipeg house party. Combined they would play 1371 NHL games. Gary Bettman was NHL commissioner, and remains.

4/17

2000 - Nick Robinson, Aaron Power and Mike D'Allessandro of the Barrie Colts are charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old.

They remain playing.

5/17

2005 - NHL players Andreas Lilja, Kristian Huselius and Henrik Tallinder are accused of gang sexual assault of a 22-year-old in a hotel room. All three are suspended, two shift leagues and immediately keep playing.

6/17

2006 - Several members of the ECHL's Victoria Salmon King, affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, are charged with alleged sexual assault. Charges dropped when the Crown didn't feel they could get a conviction.

7/17

2010 - NCAA hockey players Kyle Just and Jordan Tibbett are charged with allegedly sexually assaulting an individual on the Mercyhurst College campus. Both freshman played all four years with the school and advanced to pro hockey.

8/17

2012 - Nick Cousins, Andrew Fritsch, Mark Pettachio, members of the OHL's Soo Greyhounds are charged with alleged sexual assault. OHL made them complete a 10 day program. Cousins currently plays for the NHL's Florida Panthers.

9/17

2014 - The Ottawa University men's hockey team is accused of a group sexual assault as several members of the team allegedly barged into a hotel room to assault a victim who was with a teammate. Ottawa cancelled their season. Most members of the team are former CHL players

10/17

2014 - Four members of the QMJHL's Gatineau Olympics are accused of sexual assault in Quebec City. QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau calls for players to "become more responsible for their actions." David Branch is CHL commissioner. Case later dropped. 

But....

11/17

2015 -  A month after case one ends, the same Gatineau Olympiques team is reported for a group sexual act involving an intoxicated woman at a Boston Pizza in Hull.

12/17

2014 - Members of the USHL's Lincoln Stars, Thomas Carey and Brandon Smith are charged with allegedly "using a minor for sexual performance" and distributing child pornography after taping each other having sex with a 15-year-old and sending it to players across the USHL.

13/17

From Ontario Superior Court Filing against the OHL and CHL by a former OHL player #2, "Gang sex (sometimes as many as ten to fifteen players with one female) and violent behaviour, were very much a part of these
team gatherings"

14/17

Same Super Court filing, this time from OHL Player #4, "Veteran players bragged about how they managed
to coerce a female into having sex with 15 players ... I was certain that serious repercussions would follow, however, nothing happened as a result of this incident.”

15/17 

Individuals perpetrating sexual assault in Jr hockey and the NHL would expand this limited list of examples tenfold and these are the ones reported, brought to police &amp; allowed to enter media. Yes, allowed, because teams and leagues silence victims, and they silence media

16/17

Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, &amp; the NHL have a problem. Hockey is a problem.

Those in charge have always known about it, and did nothing.

The culture glorifies sexual conquest, consent is not taught or understood, these men feel justified, entitled. 

It needs to end now.