FT investigation: Men only fundraiser and sexual harrassment

[RedToothBrush]

amp.ft.com/content/075d679e-0033-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5?__twitter_impression=true
Sexual misconduct allegations
Men Only: Inside the charity fundraiser where hostesses are put on show
FT investigation finds groping and sexual harassment at secretive black-tie dinner

It is for men only. A black tie evening, Thursday’s event was attended by 360 figures from British business, politics and finance and the entertainment included 130 specially hired hostesses.

All of the women were told to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels. At an after-party many hostesses — some of them students earning extra cash — were groped, sexually harassed and propositioned.

The event has been a mainstay of London’s social calendar for 33 years, yet the activities have remained largely unreported — unusual, perhaps, for a fundraiser of its scale.

Hats off to the FT for sending two undercover reporters

[Hammerofthetwat]

Bloody hell. 😫

[Anlaf]

I have just seen this on twitter. It is fucking grim yet oddly unsurprising

[TwentySmackeroos]

Grim grim grim.

[RedToothBrush]

Btw, the article gets far far worse than this suggests.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

It's grim and depressing, yet I'm not surprised. The FT seem to have a paywall so I can't read the actual linked article.

[Onceuponatime21]

See I don't think this should be in feminism. This has made my blood boil. Don't hide it in feminism, Stick it on the main chat or Aibu. To think that somehow powerful men, and David freakin Walliams , think that it is their right to host an event like this is unbelievable.

I am so angry. It's a hideous and patronising event.

Urgh, vile vile vile. Ugly and nasty men whose only "value" is wealth , and who think that makes them attractive. Repulsive.

sorry for the rant.

[RedToothBrush]

Google the title:
Men Only: Inside the charity fundraiser where hostesses are put on show

Should show you link which allows you to read in full.

Otherwise @peston has link on his timeline which lets you read it.

[JudgementalSquirrel]

Currently being featured on newsnight right now....

[W0rriedMum]

What is the event? I don't think I know of any male only event like this in London.

[RedToothBrush]

Don't hide it in feminism, Stick it on the main chat or Aibu.

Done

[MrsFogi]

I am horrified that it appears that a number of companies paid for their (no doubt male) employees to attend this dinner. I would very much like to see a list of companies that somehow think it is defensible to send senior people to men-only events like this.

[catwoozle]

Name and shame the charities receiving the funds, the organisers and any well-known men attending.

[catwoozle]

Yes and also the companies paying employees to go there.

[W0rriedMum]

www.ft.com/content/075d679e-0033-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5

Charity - Great Ormond Street
Hotel - the Dorchester
Attendees - ranging from government officials to media and banking.

Sadly the paper doesn't name and shame.

[HairyBallTheorem]

Holy shit. Found the whole article on twitter. That is beyond horrible. One of those down to attend (unclear if he actually did) was Nadhim Zahawi, newly appointed undersecretary of state for children and families. And it's both parties - also on the list (again unclear if he was actually present) was Jonathan Mendelsohn, a Labour peer and party fundraiser. Groping, one of the hostesses had a penis flashed at her, another was asked to take her knickers off and dance on the table, numerous women asked to go up to men's bedrooms in the Dorchester.

Clearly the spirit of Weinstein lives on.

Hats off to the FT for doing this.

Going to cross post this to the other thread so people can see the the edited "lowlights" of the content of the article.

[SnowDance]

the fact that it’s male only already saddens me without even getting into the groping etc. Is it normal to have male only business events? Imagine if all your male colleagues were going to this and u were left out because u r a woman...seems like they r being excluded....don’t get me started on the groping etc...there r no words!

[SnowDance]

Oh and I love the FT for exposing this!

[EamonnWright]

Any man who has worked in a bar outwith the local dog and duck knows only too well about this. Constantly grabbing your balls but the clincher is rubbing their hands over your chest. Constantly. None of this is news.

[WhendoIgetadayoff]

It’s on news night just now if you put on news channel.

So so utterly depressing

[AssassinatedBeauty]

@SnowDance there are plenty of men only clubs in London, so this isn't uncommon.

[CertainHalfDesertedStreets]

David Walliams can stick his fucking ripoff Roald Dahl impression books up his fucking arse as well.

[LittleBearPad]

Ostensibly this was a ‘charity dinner’ sponsored by FTSE100 companies Assasinated. It’s really not the same thing at all as a ‘Gentleman’s club’ which is at least honest about what it is.

The whole story is horrifying and will hopefully result in some companies taking a long hard look at their ethics and some of their employees getting a P45.

[Xenophile]

Too many men on Twitter saying things along the line of “They knew what they were getting into”, “men can’t have anything now” or the old classic “women do this kind of thing to men too” whataboutery.

And they can all fuck right off too.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

I'm not supporting this in any way @LittleBearPad! It's revolting. I was just pointing out that men only clubs/organisations are not rare and that plenty of business happens within them that women are not party to.

[Mookatron]

Fuck me this is enraging. Can I take David Walliams' unfunny public school bilge back for a refund? It was dropped in the bath and it's still shit.