“Innocent Before Guilty”: Fans React To Sexual Harassment Accusations Against Russell Brand
Trigger warning: this article mentions explicit accounts of sexual assault
Russell Brand, the enigmatic British comedian, actor, and author, has long been a prominent figure in the world of entertainment and social commentary.
Known for his irreverent humor and unfiltered approach to discussing complex topics, the 48-year-old has consistently courted controversy throughout his career.
However, the Essex native has now become the subject of a much darker controversy with horrific revelations about him erupting over the weekend.
Last Saturday (September 16) a collaborative investigation conducted by British newspapers The Times and The Sunday Times, with British broadcaster Channel 4 Dispatches, was released, revealing a series of sexual assault allegations leveled against Russell.
Following a joint investigation published by multiple British media organizations, Russell Brand was accused of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse
Image credits: russellbrand
In a video posted on his Instagram page the evening before the publication, the comedian vehemently denied any allegations made against him, asserting that all his relationships had been consensual.
He also accused the media of launching a “coordinated attack” against him and remarked: “Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute.”
As Russell is now currently facing accusations of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse spanning a seven-year period during the peak of his celebrity status, Channel 4’s documentary revealed four alleged victims who have come forward, recalling incidents of sexual assault that occurred between 2006 and 2013.
The actor, who was once married to popstar Katy Perry, is additionally being confronted with allegations of controlling, abusive, and predatory behavior, as unveiled in the comprehensive investigation that has been broadcast on Channel 4 Dispatches.
Russell accused the media of launching a “coordinated attack” against him
Image credits: russellbrand
The documentary, which is now streamable online for free, opens with a cheery Russell taking to the stage during one of his one-man shows, telling a graphic joke about receiving oral sex.
It then cuts to a victim, whose identity has been hidden, recalling a traumatizing incident: “I phoned, and I asked to speak to his agent directly and somebody asked what I was reporting and I said it’s regarding Russell Brand being a sex offender.”
Another woman is unveiled as she explains: “He’s pulling on to my underwear, and grabbing me to the side, I’m telling him to get off and he won’t get off.
“Like holding me up against the wall, pushing himself in me.”
British newspapers and a TV channel revealed a series of sexual assaults allegedly made by Russell between 2006 and 2013
Image credits: russellbrand
The documentary then reveals a third victim who recalls her own chilling experience with the comedian: “He grabbed me and got me on the bed.
“I was fully clothed and he was naked at this point. He held me down and he was just aggressively trying to f*ck me.”
An additional woman is then filmed saying: “I was ‘like oh my god, he raped me’.”
As one of the four victims describes being forced to perform oral sex on Russell, she recounts crying and the comedian telling her: “I just wanted to see mascara running.”
In a damning frame, the documentary then cuts back to Russell during his one-man show explicitly depicting the sexual practice, before joking: “then the mascara runs a little bit”.
Russell allegedly dated a 16-year-old when he was aged 30, and raped her
Image credits: russellbrand
The investigation revealed a series of alleged sexual crimes, starting with an American woman dubbed Nadia, who contended that in July 2012, at Russell’s Los Angeles residence, he forcibly raped her against a wall after she declined to engage in sexual activity with one of the actor’s acquaintances.
Nadia asserted that she had explicitly asked Russell to cease his advances and expressed her desire to leave, but the BAFTA Award nominee allegedly persisted and briefly obstructed her exit by blocking the door.
“He came at me with kisses and stuff, which was kind of fun, and then it wasn’t that fun when I couldn’t move, or I knew what he wanted from me at that point,” Nadia admitted.
According to Nadia’s account to the Sunday Times, she sought immediate medical attention at a Rape Treatment Center on the same day, where she received antibiotics, emergency birth control, and therapy for a period of five months.
An American woman alleged Russell raped her at his home in Los Angeles
Image credits: russellbrand
Records examined by the newspapers indicated that she had considered pursuing legal or civil action but ultimately chose not to.
Following the incident, Russell sent text messages in which he apologized for his actions. One of the messages read: “I’m very sorry. You don’t need to get tested. I will make this up to you somehow with love and kindness.
“Not my original idea which was more sex.
“You’ve been lovely to me and I’m embarrassed by my behavior. Sorry. X”
The text messages have since been verified to be sent from the comedian’s phone number.
Notably, this incident occurred in the same month that the former MTV presenter’s divorce from the singer Katy Perry was finalized.
Nevertheless, other allegations made against Russell date back to nearly two decades, with a woman renamed Alice, claiming the comedian sexually assaulted her during a three-month relationship in 2006 when she was 16 and still in school, whilst Russell was then aged 30.
Text messages that have been verified to be sent from Russell’s phone number, showed the star being “sorry”
Image credits: russellbrand
At the time, the British celebrity was a BBC radio presenter and the host of Big Brother’s Big Mouth.
“I felt very small, I felt like a kid,” Alice said after she explained losing her virginity to Russell.
Alice described sinister rituals of being forced to stay in a bathtub for an entire day, manipulating her to become isolated from her family, as well as raping her. Alice also asserted that Russell would refer to her as “the child”.
The victim has described having to punch Russell in the stomach in an attempt to get him to stop forcing Alice to perform oral sex on him, as well as fighting him off while he was raping her.
In the early 2000s, while Russell worked as the presenter for Big Brother’s spin-off show, one runner, Rachel (whose name has been altered), who was 24 at the time, recounted an incident in which she entered the comedian’s dressing room and contended that he exposed his genitals to her.
“I was groomed for sex,” a former TV runner said while she worked under Russell
Rachel further alleged that Russell hinted that she should engage in oral sex with him. Her response was one of astonishment, and she firmly declined his proposition.
The at-the-time TV runner said she was unable to report Russell’s advances, because his contract specifically stated that the comedian was not allowed to engage in any sexual relationship with co-workers on set.
“As an adult, I can say with clarity now that I was groomed for sex,” Rachel said.
In the documentary, three BBC crew members confirmed that Russell practiced inappropriate behaviors with colleagues, saying he would get runners to get female members of the audience to share their contact details with him, with the purpose of sexually pursuing them.
In February 2007, Jordan Martin alleged that Russell sexually assaulted her and subjected her to physical and emotional abuse over a period of six months.
She asserted that the comedian assaulted her at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester when he became enraged upon discovering that she had communicated with an ex-boyfriend.
Image credits: russellbrand
During this incident, Russell allegedly forcefully dismantled Jordan’s phone case to remove the battery and subsequently engaged in unwanted sexual contact. She described the encounter as invasive and unpleasant, noting that she was unprepared for such an intrusion.
These allegations were initially disclosed in a book published in 2014. While Jordan declined to participate in interviews with investigative reporters, she has affirmed to the Sunday Times that she maintained the veracity of her account.
In 2013, Phoebe revealed that she had initially met Russell at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, prior to their professional collaboration, asserting that she experienced sexual assault at his residence in Los Angeles.
Phoebe alleged that he forcefully attempted to kiss her and undress her while pinning her down, prompting her to vehemently protest, exclaiming: “I was screaming: ‘What are you doing, stop, please, you’re my friend.'”
BBC crew members have revealed that “something didn’t feel right” on set
Image credits: danniiminogue
According to the victim’s account, Russell eventually relented, but his demeanor abruptly changed as he yelled at her, declaring that she had been fired.
Phoebe revealed that years later, she had spoken with an individual who had been working on a project with the actor and had been outside the house at the time of the incident. This person purportedly apologized for not intervening, stating, “I heard you screaming,” and admitting, “We were all so scared of him.”
In the meantime, reemerged interviews have brought to light that Russell’s former spouse, Katy Perry, characterized his conduct as “very controlling.” Similarly, in 2006, pop star Dannii Minogue referred to him as a “vile predator.”
A 2006 clip also showed Russell being called out by a furious Sir Rod Stewart at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards, as he told the audience he had slept with the singer’s model daughter Kimberly.
Dannii Minogue, meanwhile, called Russell a “vile predator”
Image credits: danniiminogue
Repeated warnings over Russell to TV bosses made his ‘sinister behavior’ an open secret among BBC and Channel 4 executives with alleged concerns reaching back as far as 2004.
The actor’s appalling conduct towards women has reportedly been an “open secret” among TV and radio executives, with bosses at the BBC and Channel 4 accused of turning a blind eye towards the entertainer while he worked for them as a presenter between 2006 and 2013, the Daily Mail reported.
The broadcasters asserted that they had undertaken all essential measures to address Russell’s conduct, but that there was the possibility that top executives might be summoned to appear before a Government select committee, where Members of Parliament will scrutinize their knowledge of the situation.
Rod Stewart, a British singer and songwriter, was furious at Russell for dating his daughter
Image credits: sirrodstewart
In response to the separate allegations of predatory behavior towards staff and audience members, Channel 4 and the BBC have initiated investigations.
According to The Independent, the Metropolitan Police have said they are aware of “media reporting of a series of allegations of sexual assault” but had not received any reports in relation to this.
Moreover, as the allegations were being discussed this weekend, Russell was in the midst of a sold-out performance in London, during which he informed the audience that there were certain topics he could not delve into.
Russell, a staunch critic of the media, “refuted all allegations” made against him
Image credits: Russell Brand
Despite the serious accusations and the damning proof, some fans backed the comedian
I’m all for bringing predators into the light, but as far as I’m concerned Bored Panda is *not* the place for this.
I'd agree - I don't think BP "writers" have the requisite sensitivity or skill to deal with issues like this. (E.g., not sure "sinister behaviour" (BP's current headline) would be how a proper news organisation would code allegations of rape and sa - doesn't seem the right level of seriousness).
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I come to Bored Panda for fun and a tiny bit of drama but wow, this is something else. Given how many kids we have on this site is this sort of material actually a good idea? It depicts some pretty graphic and distressing stuff.
To be fair - it does have a trigger warning, the title is pretty clear, and this isn't meant to be a kids site...I'd personally rather have it here and be known than have it swept under the rug. (Added later: The title has now been changed)
Load More Replies...
I’m all for bringing predators into the light, but as far as I’m concerned Bored Panda is *not* the place for this.
I'd agree - I don't think BP "writers" have the requisite sensitivity or skill to deal with issues like this. (E.g., not sure "sinister behaviour" (BP's current headline) would be how a proper news organisation would code allegations of rape and sa - doesn't seem the right level of seriousness).
Load More Replies... I come to Bored Panda for fun and a tiny bit of drama but wow, this is something else. Given how many kids we have on this site is this sort of material actually a good idea? It depicts some pretty graphic and distressing stuff.
To be fair - it does have a trigger warning, the title is pretty clear, and this isn't meant to be a kids site...I'd personally rather have it here and be known than have it swept under the rug. (Added later: The title has now been changed)
Load More Replies...
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