In light of the sexual misconduct cases against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, the NFL has changed its personal conduct policy. According to the New York Times, the expanded policy now includes harsher punishments for sexual threats, coercion and patterns of sexual misconduct.
Watson was accused of sexual misconduct and harassment by 26 women in 2021 and 2022. According to multiple allegations, Watson would schedule a massage with a female therapist. Once alone with the therapist, he would try to coerce her into various sexual acts. In addition to the unrelenting sexual requests, several therapists described that Watson intentionally exposed his penis and touched them with it. One said he ejaculated on her arm. Others report that he touched them inappropriately. Watson has denied all the accusations. Twenty-three of the 26 lawsuits filed against Watson have been settled, one was withdrawn and two remain active (all were civil cases).
After an investigation, the NFL recommended that Watson be suspended for the entire 2022 season and post-season, but the judge presiding over his hearing couldn’t deliver such a harsh penalty. In her decision, Sue Robinson, the retired federal judge who oversaw Watson’s disciplinary hearing, wrote that the NFL policy at the time recommended a mere six-game suspension for policy violations involving sexual assault using physical violence. And Watson wasn’t charged with physical violence.
“It is undisputed that Mr. Watson’s conduct does not fall into the category of violent conduct that would require the minimum six-game suspension,” Robinson wrote. Nonetheless, Robinson issued a six-game suspension for Watson and noted that a harsher penalty would require prior notification to the players. The NFL appealed the decision, and ultimately, Watson was required to sit out 11 games, pay a $5 million fine and participate in treatment.
Anonymous insiders told the New York Times that the current personal conduct policy changes were made in response to Robinson’s comments. In the new guidelines, sexual assault “involving threats or coercion” can now be penalized with more severe punishments. A second violation of these offenses would result in banishment from the league.
MORE FROM FORBES ADVISORThe NFL’s steps will help to ensure that all types of sexual misconduct are taken seriously. This message is critical because victims of sexual coercion often report long-lasting impacts. The massage therapists that came forward to accuse Watson reported negative symptoms like depression, sleeplessness and a need for counseling. One wasn’t sure she would be able to continue to pursue a career in massage therapy.
Sexual coercion is not a tactic limited to professional athletes. One in three women and one in ten men report being a victim of sexual coercion at some point in their lives. The term refers to using any strategy to engage another person in sexual behavior without their consent or even after they clearly expressed their refusal.
In addition to the verbal strategies used by Watson, research has identified several other strategies perpetrators use to coerce their victims. The use of alcohol or drugs and the misuse of one’s authority are other tactics most commonly implemented to gain compliance. Also, the women who accused Watson reported feeling scared and intimidated by his size as well as his status as a professional athlete. Watson is 6’3” and weighs 223 pounds.
According to the New York Times, NFL players received the new guidelines when they reported to training camp last week as part of the player handbook. The hope is the new guidelines will help to raise awareness of sexual coercion and stop the misconduct before it happens. It’s not clear yet whether players even noticed the policy changes.