THE woman accusing Australian football star Jarryd Hayne of rape has spoken out through her lawyer.

The woman, identified only as Ms V, said she was abstaing from sex until marriage and had her decision taken out of her hands by the 29-year-old during the alleged encounter in 2015 when he was pursuing a career in the NFL.

“The fact is that this woman, because of her religious and moral beliefs, saved herself (for marriage) into her mid-20s and had the decision taken from her,” lawyer Micha Star Liberty told Fairfax Media.

“That will have a huge impact on her and her psyche,” she said. “I think it’s something she is going to struggle with for the rest of her life.”

Hayne has denied the allegation.

Police dropped Hayne’s unrelated case for lack of evidence but the 29-year-old is now being pursued civilly.

The woman accusing Hayne filed a lawsuit alleging the NRL star raped her after a gathering with mutual friends in a San Jose, California, bar in December 2015. The woman alleged she was heavily intoxicated when Hayne took her to his home “despite having minimal interaction that night.”

The woman claims in the lawsuit that she recalled little about that night but woke the next morning, naked and draped in a sheet in Hayne’s bed. She said she had never had sexual intercourse before that night but was fearful of going to police because of Hayne’s prominence.

After a standout preseason with the 49ers, Hayne made the team as a punt returner and reserve running back. He played eight games that season and has since returned to Australia where he plays for the Parramatta Eels, where he starred before his stint with the 49ers.

The woman wasn’t identified in the lawsuit.

Hayne’s Australian lawyer Ramy Qutami said in a prepared statement that Hayne “unequivocally and vehemently” denies any wrongdoing. Qutami said that Hayne cooperated with a police investigation at the time.

Santa Clara County prosecutors declined to charge Hayne because of a lack of evidence after the encounter was reported to police three months later. The woman is represented by John Clune, a Boulder, Colorado, attorney who has represented several women who have accused professional and college athletes of sexual abuse. Clune was involved in the settlement of a lawsuit alleging rape against retired Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Clune’s firm has also sued several universities alleged to have been financially responsible for college athletes assaulting women.

— with AP

NFL TEAMMATE PAID A SIX FIGURE CIVIL SETTLEMENT

FORMER San Francisco 49ers player Ray McDonald reportedly paid a six figure civil settlement sum to a woman who accused him of rape.

The Daily Telegraph revealed the 33-year-old was drinking with a woman, known only as V-1, and mutual friends at the same bar where former teammate Jarryd Hayne met another woman on another occasion who accused him of rape. Hayne denies the claims.

V-1 claimed to have “fell and hit her head on the ground” while at McDonald’s house after leaving the bar.

When asked what happened, McDonald reportedly told her she was “just tired” before letting her sleep in his bed.

McDonald later admitted they had sex after spending another day drinking. McDonald then sent a text to the woman on December 16, telling her he found her watch she left behind before telling her to “get the morning after pill”.

The woman then went to police, who texted McDonald from her phone.

“I’m just really bothered by all of this. I don’t really want to see you right now,” an officer texted.

“I don’t understand why you’re bothered. U chose to stay with me for another day,” McDonald replied.

The officer responded: “Yeah but u shudve had sex with me after I was knocked out! I cudve died! Are you a expert on head injuries now? The more I think about it, the madder I get.”

McDonald replied: “I didn’t do anything wrong. Like u told me before u started coming on to me.”

Officer: “How can I come on to u if was drunk and woozy from hitting my head?” U know better than that.”

McDonald: “OK so now it seems like you are trying to set me up. Listen u stayed with me all day yesterday so I don’t know what point you are trying to make by saying all this stuff.”

McDonald was also accused of involvement in three domestic violence incidents in 2014, one of which included an ex-fiancee claiming he beat her.

San Francisco dropped him after the case with V-1. He paid $US100,000 (A$129, 600) to settle the case.

The woman later she was “stressed out” over the incident and refused to testify in criminal proceedings, claiming she wanted to put it behind her.