Nikita Hand, 37, a former hairdresser from Drimnagh, Dublin, has spoken about her decision to pursue a civil rape case against mixed martial artist Conor McGregor, a case she won in 2024. Hand, who described herself as an 'imperfect victim', wanted to challenge the stigma that victims must be perfect to be believed.
Background and Assault
On the day of the assault in 2018, Hand had been partying with alcohol and cocaine before contacting McGregor, who took her to a Dublin hotel. Hours later, bruised and stunned, she reported the assault to police, but Irish authorities declined to pursue a criminal case, citing no reasonable prospect of conviction.
Left with the option of a civil case, Hand chose to proceed despite losing her anonymity and facing a powerful celebrity with teams of lawyers and a vast online following. 'I'm not the perfect victim and I never portrayed myself to be,' she said. 'But I feel when victims are not perfect, they seem to get blamed. And I really wanted to try to change the stigma around people thinking you have to be a perfect victim to be believed or heard.'
Trial and Aftermath
In 2024, at Dublin high court, the jury found that McGregor had assaulted Hand in 2018 and awarded nearly €250,000 in damages. Hand described the cross-examination as 'degrading' and 'just as bad as the assault itself'. She said she still lives with anxiety and fear.
Hand has published a book, 'Not the Perfect Victim', chronicling the assault and its aftermath. The case has continued to reverberate, with Jimmy Fallon hosting McGregor on 'The Tonight Show' in June, triggering an outcry. Hand said she receives both beautiful messages and hate messages online, from women and men, calling her names.
Personal Reflections
Hand said she still struggles with being in the public eye but is proud of the book. 'I feel like I'm in control of my own story now, which I felt like I wasn't for many years,' she said. She credited her mother, her partner, and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre with helping her rebuild her life.
Hand is no longer a hairdresser and hopes to work with victims and survivors. She wants her daughters to grow up in a world where victims are not shamed or blamed. 'It doesn't matter what you wear or how much you drink or even take a drug. No means no and consent needs to be taken more seriously.'
Hand said McGregor should not have been hosted at the White House in 2025 or on Fallon's chatshow. She seldom mentions McGregor by name. 'I don't have any feelings for him. I don't forgive him. I gave my evidence, he gave his and the jury made their decision. And that's all there is to it.'
