Dustin Martin case gives AFL perfect chance to launch violence against women roundDavid Polkinghorne
The Age
15 December 2015The cousin of alleged murder victim Tara Costigan says alcohol is only an excuse for violence against women and believes the AFL should be making more noise about the issue in the wake of allegations against Richmond star Dustin Martin.
It comes on the back of White Ribbon Australia's call for any AFL player charged with violence against women to be stood down from playing or training.
Nathan Costigan and his family gathered on Sunday for the christening of Tara's daughter Ayla, which was a "gut-wrenching experience to watch a little girl get baptised without her mum".
Tara's murder case against Marcus Rappel, where Rappel was accused of killing her with an axe in February, was still before the courts.
The Tuggeranong Hawks coach said one thing jumped out about the coverage of the Martin case, which the AFL referred to police after investigating allegations the Richmond midfielder had threatened a woman with a chopstick in a Melbourne restaurant last Saturday week.
Costigan said there were repeated references that Martin had been drinking at a music festival before the incident, but he said alcohol was irrelevant when it came to violence against women.
He said using alcohol as an excuse simply covered over the real reasons.
"One thing that I've learnt, and the Domestic Violence Crisis Service will back me up until the cows come home, is [alcohol] doesn't trigger it – it's already there," Costigan told Fairfax Media.
"That's just an out because that has nothing to do with it and I used to be someone that thought that ... I've found out the last 12 months it's totally not true.
"Don't just jump straight to grog and drugs and everything else because that just covers the real problem ... the problem lies within," he said.
Costigan was unsure about what punishment the AFL should impose if Martin was found to have threatened the woman.
Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett suggested a 12-month ban from the AFL, while Costigan thought community service, which included talking to people about violence against women, was an alternative.
But Costigan did think it provided the perfect opportunity to be vocal about the issue.
It's not the only case involving violence against women the AFL has been involved in.
Fremantle Dockers fan Cody Yarran received an eight-month jail term two weeks ago, after he was found guilty of striking a woman at an AFL match in September.
Costigan felt the off-season provided the AFL with the perfect platform to be vocal about a problem felt right across Australia.
He called for the AFL to introduce a themed round to raise awareness about domestic violence and violence against women in September and still felt that was a good idea.
"Why not take the opportunity – the second incident in three months – to really perk it up," Costigan said.
"At the moment domestic violence has a massive following. I think they'd be getting on a very big horse ... and by the time the season starts people would be right behind it."
Canberra's Thoroughbred Park hosted the Tara Costigan Foundation race day on Sunday, helping to raise money and awareness for Tara's Angels – personal caseworkers to help victims rehabilitate.
White Ribbon is a male-led campaign to end men's violence against women.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/dustin-martin-case-gives-afl-perfect-chance-to-launch-violence-against-women-round-20151213-glmcyf.html
