It has been a long year for me. Endless abuse. Sleepless nights of worry after threats. Then worrying because I seemed to have become immune to them. I feared I was losing my sense of humanity when I didn't react to vile and horrific, sexually explicit, abuse.
I shouldn't have worried because today, exactly as police surround gunmen in Paris who are threatening the life of a hostage they have taken after killing a policewoman earlier. As 12 people are dead following a jihadist terror attack of the most horrific sort. You see fit to tweet this about me.
In all the months, and during all the abuse, that is possibly the worst thing I have seen. Partly because of your position as a national journalist, partly because you are a woman, partly because you purport to stand for women.
I took part, and remember I only TOOK PART, in a campaign to raise the issue of rape, consent and sexual violence surrounding the controversy of returning Ched Evans to a Professional Football Club. Many many other women, and men, across the UK were involved. Hundreds of thousands of them. They aren't extremists. They are ordinary, moral, decent people who felt strongly on this issue.
You initial comment was odious. Insensitive at a time when lives are being lost and threatened at the hands of actual jihadist terrorists.
The campaign I took part in was entirely lawful, free from abuse, non-violent and at times rose above the levels of tolerance expected of most decent humans under attack.
You accused me of being cowardly....
The reason I protect my anonymity is well-documented. I would be under threat of extreme violence very quickly. You do not deserve or need to know who from or why. I will not bare my soul to you.
When asked to apologise by Beatrix Campbell you steadfastly held out and defended yourself thus....
You appear in this to be suggesting that your attack on myself is justified because there have been threats to Oldham Athletic. I do hope you are not suggesting I was responsible because that is slanderous and patently untrue. At this time since there have been no reported threats to the police it is unconfirmed that there actually were any. My petition and activism has been firmly against violence. It has been persistently peaceful, if not always comfortable to hear.
You also suggest your attack on me is justified because you received threats.
Again let me make it absolutely clear. You have not been threatened by me and I challenge you to produce evidence of that or you can produce it to the police if you persist. The very worst I have done is call you a rape apologist and use the word "grovel". I think you have written a few pieces that make it easy to excuse rape. I stand by what I have written. None of it has been abusive or threatening.
I ask that you do the decent and respectful thing and apologise immediately to myself, and the families of all the victims in Paris and elsewhere at the hands of jihadist terrorists.
Kind regards,
Jean Hatchet.
