Andy Carroll reveals sexual assault ordeal and male victims' support
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Andy Carroll says men have contacted him with their own sexual assault experiences.
- Carroll revealed his 2021 ordeal in his autobiography, Owning It.
- He hopes speaking publicly will encourage other men to talk when they are ready.
The 37-year-old footballer revealed what happened in his autobiography, Owning It, explaining that he was sexually assaulted while asleep in 2021 during his second spell with Newcastle United.
Carroll said the attacker was a "celebrity mate" and a friend of his former partner, who was away at the time.
The man was later convicted in what Carroll described as a "humiliating and horrendous trial." He was sentenced to three years in prison, placed on the sex offenders' register and banned from the village where Carroll lives.
Andy Carroll opens up about sexual assault
Carroll had automatic anonymity as a sexual assault victim and said he made the decision to reveal the incident in his book "at the last minute" after speaking with his current girlfriend, Lou Teasdale.He has since explained how difficult it was to discuss the experience publicly, whilst acknowledging the importance of giving other men the confidence to speak about what they have been through.
It's been incredibly hard for me to speak about what happened. I'm still navigating what I feel comfortable sharing publicly.
Since speaking out, so many men have messaged me about their own experiences.
That has been incredibly powerful and has reminded me just how important it is that men feel able to talk when they're ready.
What Andy Carroll says happened
According to Carroll's account in Owning It, the man invited himself to his home to watch a boxing match.Carroll said he later went to bed after feeling light-headed, only to wake up and find the visitor sexually assaulting him.
He ordered the man to leave the property. When he attempted to return, Carroll said he struck him, knocking him unconscious.
The former Premier League striker said the incident had a profound impact on his life, including his ability to concentrate on football.
What happened to me affected every facet of my life. I'd think about it every day, making it difficult to focus on anything else, including football.
The trauma of what happened to me hasn't gone away.
Carroll hopes speaking out will help other men
Despite finding the experience difficult to discuss, Carroll said he believes speaking publicly could help others who have experienced sexual assault.He acknowledged that it was frightening to revisit the incident but said it had ultimately shaped who he is today.
Scary to talk about but it's made [me] the person I am today as much as any of the good stuff.His decision to speak openly about his experience has also prompted other men to contact him about their own experiences, highlighting how sexual assault can affect male victims as well as women.
And if me talking about it helps just one person, then good. It will have been worth it.
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