The U.S. woman who is accusing rugby star Jarryd Hayne of sexual assault has spoken out on the matter through her lawyer, telling Fairfax Media that she was deliberately abstaining from sex until marriage.
“The fact is that this woman, because of her religious and moral beliefs, saved herself [for marriage] into her mid-20s and had the decision taken from her,” lawyer Micha Star Liberty told Fairfax.
“That will have a huge impact on her and her psyche. I think it’s something she is going to struggle with for the rest of her life.”
The women, known only as Ms. V, is pursuing Hayne in civil court after San Jose Police abandoned the case due to a lack of evidence. Her lawsuit accuses Hayne of sexually assaulting her after a gathering with mutual friends in 2015, when Hayne was playing for the San Francisco 49ers. She alleges that Hayne took her back to his place while she was heavily intoxicated, despite the pair having “minimal interaction that night.
The lawsuit claims Ms. V had never had sexual intercourse prior to the evening of the alleged rape, and feared going to the police due to Hayne’s profile. According to her lawyer, Ms V’s faith will be a central consideration in her case, as she argues it caused greater “pain and suffering” after the alleged incident.
Hayne “unequivocally and vehemently” denied raping the woman in a statement issued through his lawyer Ramy Qutami. He has since returned to Australia, where he once again plays with the Parramatta Eels in the NRL. Qutami reiterates that the criminal investigation was dropped, though it is worth noting that the standard of proof is lower in a civil trial.
Fairfax says that Ms. V is unaware of the Australian media’s current interest in the story.
