Vogue Williams has publicly criticized the continued support for MMA fighter Conor McGregor after he was found liable for sexually assaulting a woman in a civil case.
On the latest episode of her podcast, "My Therapist Ghosted Me," Williams, 40, expressed her dismay, questioning why McGregor, 38, still maintains a large following on social media despite the legal judgment. McGregor has 46.6 million Instagram followers.
The civil case involved Nikita Hand, who accused McGregor of raping her at a Dublin hotel in 2018. McGregor denied the allegation, stating the encounter was consensual and denied causing bruising to Hand. The jury found McGregor civilly liable for assault, and he was ordered to pay approximately £187,000 ($250,000) in damages. McGregor has since launched an appeal.
"Do you know who is grim and who has so many followers and people that are like actually interested in following him is that complete t*****, Conor McGregor," Williams said on the podcast. "The charges that are against him are heinous. They're just so bad what he did."
Williams voiced frustration that the public might be unaware of the judgment or are choosing to ignore it while continuing to support McGregor. "I don't understand if the rest of the world doesn't actually know that yet or else they're just pretending that they don't know it and they're still continuing to put this man on a pedestal," she stated. "It just makes me so sad that we're still there in the world that you'd be impressed by somebody like that."
Williams' co-host, Joanne McNally, commented on the online reactions to such cases, noting that women who share their experiences often face backlash and calls to wait for trial outcomes. "And when the women post these videos they get this onslaught from men and women saying 'He hasn't been proved guilty yet or you know, wait until the trial' and all this mad stuff. It's all very strange," McNally said.
Hand had alleged that both McGregor and another individual, James Lawrence, sexually assaulted her on December 9, 2018. The court heard evidence that Hand and a friend met McGregor after a work Christmas party and were driven to a hotel penthouse where drugs and alcohol were present. Hand stated McGregor then took her to a bedroom and sexually assaulted her. Hand's lawsuit against Lawrence was unsuccessful.
Speaking after the civil case proceedings, Hand described the appeal process as retraumatizing, forcing her to relive the events. She encouraged other survivors to speak out and seek justice. "To every survivor out there, I know how hard it is but please don't be silenced. You deserve to be heard. You also deserve justice. Today I can finally move on and try to heal," Hand said.