Celebrity media will portray events in the most salacious way possible in order to get eyeballs on their coverage. Don’t conflate their coverage with women in general condoning this type of behavior or the media coverage of it. I didn’t know about this event, which happened 8 years ago, at the time. If I had, I would have been appalled. Given the state of the internet, social media and public awareness then, where would I have voiced that opinion and who would have listened? Did you write about it at the time? No. We’re having the conversation now because of #metoo and other societal forces coming to a tipping point.

BTW David likely downplayed the event for exactly the same reasons that women have not reported or have historically downplayed their assaults: when you speak up, you open yourself to ridicule, accusations that you’re a delicate snowflake who can’t handle a meaningless “joke,” etc. My guess is that if Beckham were to post this with #metoo, he’d get overwhelming support from women. Assault is assault, no matter the genders involved.