In brief
- Three women have now alleged they endured sexual assault during a hotel gathering with Sydney Swans players in Melbourne.
- Police are still investigating and no one has been charged.
Lawyers for a third woman who allegedly endured sexual assault during a hotel gathering of Sydney Swans players say she is suffering an "incredibly traumatic experience".
Personal injury specialist Slater and Gordon has been engaged by one of now three women allegedly hired as adult entertainers to party with five Swans players at the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne on Monday morning.
The firm has been asked to determine whether the woman "involved in the alleged sexual assaults" has grounds to file a civil claim, says senior lawyer Jackson Pannam.
''Everyone deserves to be safe going about their life, at home, at work and in public spaces without risk of being assaulted or harmed,'' he said in a statement on Saturday.
According to Mr Pannam, the woman, who contacted police immediately after the alleged assault, has had her world turned upside down and is navigating an "incredibly traumatic experience".
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''We will be putting all of the relevant parties on notice in due course,'' he earlier told reporters.
''We're standing with our client to give her support at this difficult time and to help her get the justice she deserves.''
A potential civil claim would be separate to any criminal proceedings.
Two other women at the centre of an investigation involving the five players were subjected to "abhorrent" actions, the women's lawyer had alleged.
Staff not involved
The Sydney Swans have "categorically confirmed" no members of the AFL club's staff were involved in police investigations into the alleged sexual assault at Melbourne's Pullman Hotel.
Five players - Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon - have been suspended for the rest of the season for "breaching club standards".
The sanctions on the five men are separate to the police investigations into sexual assault allegations and the events at East Melbourne's Pullman Hotel in the early hours of Monday morning.
Victoria Police and Sydney released separate statements on Saturday, with the Swans repeating a previous statement that no club representatives other than the five suspended players were in the hotel room in question.
"The Sydney Swans supports the action taken by Victoria Police in releasing today's statement regarding the investigation," the Swans said in their statement.
"The Sydney Swans categorically confirms that no member of staff is involved in the investigation. This includes being in the hotel room central to the police investigation.
"The club reiterates that no player has been interviewed by police at this stage."
Victoria Police said their investigation was ongoing and no charges have been laid.
"Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad continue to investigate a report of a sexual assault in East Melbourne on August 17," the police statement said.
"The incident occurred at a hotel on Wellington Parade in the early hours of the morning.
"The exact circumstances of the matter are still being established and a number of people have been spoken to."
The statements come as the Swans finalise preparations for what is effectively a dead rubber game against North Melbourne at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday, rounding out the home-and-away season.
Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham on Wednesday said the club-imposed sanctions would "torpedo" the second-placed side's premiership hopes.
'Simply not moral'
On Friday, a separate firm, Carbone Lawyers, signalled it was helping two of the women prepare to launch action in the Victorian Supreme Court against the five players and the club, seeking damages for pain and suffering, psychological injury, and economic loss.
Carbone Lawyers partner John Karantzis said the two women he represented were suffering severe stress and anxiety and feared for their lives after being subjected to "abhorrent actions".
"There's a lot of interest in this case and they are literally in hiding and they are suffering," he told Melbourne radio station 3AW on Friday.
Karantzis couldn't detail specifics but claimed the women had been subjected to "the most disgusting actions and behaviour I have ever heard about in my 28 years as a lawyer".
"And what they were subjected to, it is alleged, was demeaning, abhorrent and simply not moral or acceptable ... they do want justice. They want their voice to be heard," Karantzis said.
He said the club hadn't been fully transparent as to who was involved and what occurred.
He claimed more than five men were in the room but refused to comment when asked if coaches were present.
"More than five men and it's alleged there were even a few leaders in that room," he said.
The Swans have "categorically" stated none of their staff were in the hotel room and are not involved in the investigation.
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