Broncos fan captures the moment she was sexually assaulted on the way home from NRL game

Hayley Mabbett was on her way home from an NRL game when she was followed and sexually assaulted by a group of men in a car.

Warning: This article contains details of sexual harassment and threats of sexual violence.

“I heard some screams. Unfortunately, I have heard a lot of things and I just ignore it,” she said.

“But then they shouted something very clear: ‘You better go home or I’ll rape you.'”

The car sped away and the 32-year-old was left on a quiet Brisbane street, just a few minutes’ walk between the train station and her home.

Ms Mabbett had experienced street harassment before but had never caught it on camera.

“There have been many incidents in the past. “Unfortunately it’s not uncommon, but I’ve never been able to capture it on video,” she said.

Victim blamed

When Ms Mabbett finally got home, she decided to share the video with more friends and family by posting on Instagram.

“There were some people who contacted me and asked, ‘Why did you walk home alone at night?'” she said.

The example of gender-based violence and victim blaming has angered advocates as the issue remains in the national spotlight.

Katherine Berney, executive director of the National Women’s Safety Alliance, said the harassment in the video was “horrifying.”

“I cannot imagine the fear this person felt when confronted with truly credible threats of sexual violence,” Ms Berney said.

“They did what was considered completely reasonable and walked home from the train station at night after a football match.

“This is not unusual activity, but here we have a young woman with a credible threat of sexual violence that she was able to catch on camera.”

Security concerns

Ms Mabbett experienced severe sexual harassment and reported the incident to local police in the following days.

The Brisbane Broncos member now feels too unsafe to take public transport to football alone.

“I don’t feel safe walking in my neighborhood. I arrange parking or take Uber, which can be very expensive,” she said.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data on personal safety was collected in the 2021-22 financial year.

More than a million women said they did not use public transport alone after dark because they felt unsafe.

Another 2.2 million women said they didn’t walk alone after dark because they felt unsafe.

Conviction is crucial

Ms Berney said because Ms Mabbett was harassed after a football match, a conviction was vital under sporting laws such as the NRL.

“I believe that sporting codes have an ethical responsibility,” she said.

“Send a clear message that such behavior is completely unacceptable and does not meet your fans’ expectations of this code.”

The ABC contacted the NRL requesting an interview, but the league declined to comment on the matter.

The AFL observed a minute’s silence before each of its eighth round games to remember the women who have lost their lives to gender-based violence.

There was no acknowledgment of the national conversation during the NRL’s ninth round, however the league has a long-running Voice Against Violence campaign.

Have you been harassed at sporting events and would like to share your story? Contact [email protected]