5 supporters are talking about petitions related to Women's Rights!
Being acquitted legally does not mean this person is not guilty, or even at the very least not morally reprehensible. As a survivor of sexual assault, I feel completely alienated by the Oilers organisation today. Their privilege of not understanding how horrific it is to be a survivor of sexual assault is very obvious today. I cannot support an organisation headed by people who are so willfully and deplorably ignorant.
This signing sends a message that the Edmonton Oilers do not support or believe women. The vast majority of sexual assault and violence against women goes unreported and unproven in a court of law. As a survivor of sexual assault and coercive abuse, I stand with EM and other survivors of sexual assault and violence.
The Edmonton Oilers claim they investigated thoroughly with those “close to the matter” prior to making this decision. Which experts or groups on violence against women did you consult with? Which victims of sexual assault were consulted?
As an Edmonton Oilers fan, I am now ashamed of my team and of the jerseys and Oilers merch that I own.
Please, reconsider this signing. Reconsider the message it sends to both survivors but also all fans - especially young men and women. Violence against women is never okay, and playing in the NHL is a privilege. Send the message that actions have consequences.
5 hockey players vs 1 survivor.
An entire hockey league vs (yet another) survivor.
There’s a reason EM won a $3.5 million settlement in 2022.
There’s a reason the London Police reopened the investigation.
There’s a reason Hockey Canada has a secret settlement fund.
There’s a reason the defence wants to talk about her heels, her alcohol, her “choices” - Instead of the only question that matters:
Did she consent?
Because this was never just about consent.
It was about power.
It was about protecting a league that has become a Canadian institution - One we rally behind during the holidays, while survivors are left to break down in silence.
This case isn’t an exception.
It’s the rule.
And until that changes, the system will continue to fail the very people it should protect.
I want to believe this case will be the exception.
I want to believe that EM will win.
But deep down, I don’t think she will.
I am hopeful…
But I am haunted by the story unfolding before us.
I understand the justice system.
I understand the importance of criminal defence.
But I also understand the facts.
And they are clear.
EM isn’t just facing her perpetrators.
She’s facing a brotherhood - of players, lawyers, and institutions - That have always and will always, protect their own.
Dear EM,
I believe you - and so do many other women. We believe you because we’ve seen this before. Because too many of us have stood where you are: discredited, scrutinized, and outnumbered. No matter what the verdict says, we see your strength. We stand by you - not because the system will, but because you deserve to be believed, supported, and never alone in this fight.
We need to start educating boys and young men about consent - clearly, early, and often. Consent is not a grey area or something to be questioned after the fact. It starts with asking first, hearing a clear and enthusiastic yes, and understanding that anything less is a no. It means thinking twice - about how much someone has had to drink, about whether they’re in a vulnerable situation, and about whether what’s happening can truly be considered consent.