When Do You Name Names?

Was Nemeth right not to name names? Perhaps.
Photo via @HotYoungBriley

Wrestling has had a problem with creeps for as long as it's been around. It's what happens when you run a business based on attracting the most toxically masculine personalities to preen for the affections of the crowd. Whether or not those creeps have kept fans away from the arena has only come up when wrestlers' transgressions have come to light, and they haven't started to come to light until at the latest the Attitude Era. Still, when Steve Austin was arrested for abusing his then-spouse, WWE did jack and shit to deal with it. Nowadays, WWE doesn't seem to have that kind of problematic wrestler on the roster. I think it's just they're much much better at hiding those kinds of things. I mean, Randy Orton is still on the roster despite numerous stories of backstage malfeasance being written on him, but none have anything to corroborate outside of him deserting the army. Honestly, that's the most badass thing about him, but I digress.

Indie wrestling has no such structure to keep the stories from leaking. While the promoters who book problematic wrestlers have a sort of omerta regarding the accusations, they can't keep things like Teddy Hart's girlfriend going mysteriously missing in the middle of several other charges of human trafficking and animal abuse from coming to light. Wrestlers like Hart, Michael Elgin, Rich Swann, and Thomas Latimer keep facing these accusations. They're not enough to keep them from getting bookings, as Elgin and Swann are both in Impact under the direction of another accused abuser in Sami Callihan, and no one seems to care that Latimer keeps working for NWA Power.

Of course, just because they're not outed doesn't mean other wrestlers aren't also abusers and/or rapists and/or Nazis (can't forget SHLAK). There have been whispers of wrestlers being scum that only float to the surface when people make vague threats like this from Ryan Nemeth, known as Briley Pierce in NXT before his release:

Happy #InternationalWomensDay to piece of shit rapey indie wrestler dudes who pretend to be woke feminist heroes

and the idiots who still buy their merch / work with them

— Ryan Nemeth (@HotYoungBriley) March 8, 2020

Two different reaction to these tweets are common. The first is people urging him to "name names" in the replies. The second is shadowy replies from self-proclaimed wrestling insiders saying they know who people like Nemeth were talking about and that it would shock people to know who and yadda yadda. I'm not concerned with the second group. The first group, however, seems to have a point on the surface.

When there are abusers in an industry that has a sizable fanbase, you would want to know who they are. How am I supposed to know with whom I'm not supposed to work if the names are never named? The cloak of secrecy is frustrating, and I can only imagine how bad it is for people who are in the target demographic for abuse, or who have been abused and don't want to give money to people who might trigger flashbacks. You would think that holding the names back is a narcissistic play for clout.

However, there's a good reason not to name names. If the victims of abuse or rape have not escaped the orbit of their attackers, they are in more danger for retaliatory action. The mind of the abuser tends towards defensive withdrawing, blaming the victim for the heat put upon them. To out them without knowing if the victim is in a safe place away from their abuser would be, in a word, irresponsible. How does one know when the victim is in the clear? They'd probably have to be close to them, and knowing that is tricky if you're on the outside.

So is Nemeth doing it for the clout, or is he close to a victim and is just asking fans to look more closely at wrestlers' presences online and at shows? It's up to him to say, I suppose. Either way, it's not entirely bad practice to let people know that there are abusers in the community. It's not like there aren't warning signs. Go to someone you trust who might be able to do something. Don't go to the police; their track record in mitigating situations involving rape and abuse is abysmal for the most part.

But if you feel uneasy taking action to take care of the abuser, you might as well be better off not saying anything while taking measures to protect the abused. If you do want to take action, see if you can shelter the victim in your home or any other secure place you have disposal of. The victim's safety is of utmost importance. Maybe it's not on Nemeth to name names in that light, or anyone else. How society treats victims, especially female, trans, and otherwise vulnerable victims, is lacking to the point where publicly pointing out transgressors might cause more damage than good. I'm not saying don't do anything; just be smart and sensitive about it.