According to multiple reports, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has been sued by his accuser for sexual assault.
Last summer a San Diego woman accused Bauer of beating and sexually abusing her during a consensual sexual encounter. Los Angeles prosecutors failed to indict as the woman’s allegations couldn’t be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. She also sought a restraining order against Bauer, which was denied.
In response Bauer filed a defamation suit against The Athletic, Deadspin and writer Molly Knight.
The lawsuit filed by the accuser is a counterclaim to Bauer’s defamation suit, which the accuser’s lawsuit states is an attempt to “silence and intimidate her.”
When the claims were made in family court, Los Angeles judge Dianna Gould-Saltman called the allegations “materially misleading” and ruled that she appeared to have agreed to having rough sex with Bauer.
“In the context of a sexual encounter, when a woman says, ‘no,’ she should be believed,” said Judge Gould-Saltman. “So what about when she says, ‘yes’?”
In her counterclaim, the accuser claims, consistent with her allegations last year, that Bauer choked her unconscious during sex, punched and non-consensually penetrated her.
“Life has been turned into a nightmare by a powerful man who mercilessly battered her,” the counterclaim stated. “And counted on facing no consequences whatsoever for his despicable conduct.”
“[The woman] did not — because she could not — consent to having such anal sex,” the lawsuit against Bauer claims, due to her being allegedly unconscious. The suit also claims that, when she woke up, she was caused “excruciating pain” by Bauer punching her between her legs.
Bauer continues to deny the allegation saying that the two were engaged in a consensual relationship where “rough sex” was included.
“[The accuser] deliberately deleted scores of text messages, videos, and photographs from her phone,” according to Bauer’s lawsuit. “Including text messages with her two closest confidants immediately following her second sexual encounter with Mr. Bauer.
“[The accuser] fabricated allegations of sexual assault against Plaintiff Trevor Bauer, pursued bogus criminal and civil actions against him, made false and malicious statements about him, and generated a media blitz based on her lies.”
Without getting too deep into BDSM and rough sex, there are varying degrees. What one considers rough, another might not and so on. Any couple that enters into relationships like this they have to be built on unwavering trust and there needs to be agreements on how a person can remove themself from an encounter that feels dangerous.
None of that seems to have been the case with Bauer and his accuser.
Major League Baseball suspended Bauer for two seasons, which he is currently appealing through the MLBPA.
The Dodgers are the best team in baseball with a 77-33 record, and they are the Las Vegas betting favorites to win the World Series this year at +350.
Since he is not facing any criminal charges and if this suit by his accuser is dismissed — a big if — he would have a case for reinstatement. Adding a strikeout machine and innings eater to an already formidable rotation would make the Dodgers even tougher.
