I think you answered your own question.
I have 2 daughters and if anyone made it to court in a healthy condition that my daughters said made inappropriate contact with them, I want everyone to believe their claims.
But, lets not be naive concerning Deshaun Watson's situation:
- His college coach said he would be the "Micheal Jordan" of the QB position in the NFL. Until the allegations, He was living up to the hype
- Until Watson wanted out of Houston, he was held as a role model and commercial star in Houston Texas.
- Until he wanted out of Houston, the allegations spanned most of his entire time in Houston, TX without one misconduct claim.
- Strip joints, massage parlors, and spas go hand in hand in Texas disguising prostitution, sex trafficking, other illegal sexuall activities or happy ending massages.
- The Houston area is considered a hot bed for illegal sex activities by spas and massage parlors.
- Some of these women making claims against Watson were not even licensed as massage therapist.
- Criminal burden of proof and civil burden of proof is different but what is the same is that you are innocent until proven guilty.
Again I repeat "Until Watson wanted out of Houston", he was Mr. HEB STORES while all these alleged sexual criminal activity was going on.
You must not be a Dallas Cowboys fan. As you would remember the shake downs involving Michael Irvin, Erik Williams, Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson, and other Dallas Cowboy players, management, and owners. Many of these cases and allegations were settled out of court. A settlement is not an admission of guilt. Civil cases only need 51% burden of proof. If he was receiving these happy ending massages, it would be illegal. Two wrongs don't make a right unless its 51% right.
Finally, your point about using the number of women to prove a point is incredulous. You do not need 27 women to make an sexual assault claim valid in this country. One 21 year old woman can lie for over 50 years that a 14 years old boy, grab her, made sexual contact and obscenities to her that caused him to be slaughtered by people that believed her lies. That young boy did not get the chance to settle the case out of court. He was taken to a barn, beaten, mutilated, pistol whipped, shot, and body was dumped in the Tallahatchie River by the acquisition of one woman.
Again, until 1-28-21, when he demanded a trade and said he would not play for the Texans again, Watson had no problems with his happy ending massages for 4.25 years. Then by coincidence at the start of the NFL offseason 3-16-21 the same year one massage therapist files a civil lawsuit. Did not file criminal charges, did not go to the police, did not go to her manager, and did not go to her employer with the allegation. Then 22 suits were filed 4-5-21 before the NFL draft. No press/media was given to the 18 professional massage therapists that expressed support of his character, saying that the allegations contradict their experiences with Watson. So if its a football score, you win 27-18. But, this is not a game.
Again, if it looks like a duck, quack likes a duck, swims like a duck, flies like a duck, lays an egg like a duck...its a duck.