Why are we sharing details about dozens of women's allegations against Deshaun Watson?

Deshaun Watson lived about 1,200 miles from Cleveland last year when the first woman filed a suit accusing him of sexual misconduct.

It was big news in Texas and in the football world where the quarterback was then a superstar with the Houston Texans.

But many in Northeast Ohio probably didn’t pay attention until March when Watson signed a five-year, $230 million contract after being traded to the Cleveland Browns. It was not only the largest guaranteed contract at signing in NFL history, it catapulted Watson into local celebrity status in a region where Browns games are as much a part of personal weekly ritual as visiting church, mosque or temple.

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At the time, 22 women had sued Watson, all claiming he exposed himself, touched them with his genitals or forced them into sex acts during massage sessions.

Northeast Ohioans openly debated the claims on talk radio, podcasts and social media even though it was clear many hadn’t read or didn’t understand the specific allegations.

Watson does not face any criminal charges.

The Akron Beacon Journal believes the community should understand the allegations and Watson’s defense to better understand this unfolding news, so a reporter spent weeks culling information from court documents, press conferences and other publicly available information for the 24 lawsuits filed against Watson as of June 14. The reporter also submitted questions to attorneys representing the women and Watson, along with the Browns organization.

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"While the graphic details in these stories go beyond what we normally provide in our coverage, we believe they are important to fully understanding the scope and repeated pattern of allegations against Watson," Beacon Journal Editor Michael Shearer. "We've added a content warning to each story as warranted."

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Why we delved into allegations against Browns QBDeshaun Watson