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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Brendan Cox

56 replies

SusanBunch · 11/02/2018 10:45

So he has been accused of groping a woman in an American bar, grabbing her hips and bottom and thrusting his thumb into her mouth after she repeatedly told him no. This is the second round of accusations. In 2015, before Jo Cox was murdered, there were newspaper reports that he had voluntarily left his post at Save the Children after more than one co-worker threatened to make an almighty fuss about his conduct. Obviously these allegations have yet to be proven in a court of law, but it doesn't look great.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. He has traded on his saint-like image since his wife died and the left-wing press love him. He often portrays himself as Dad of the year etc and I think he even did a live chat on Mumsnet. But now it appears that this is a man who assaults women while his wife and small children are at home. It's interesting that the 2015 story was not raked up more when he put himself in the public eye. I wonder if he can survive this.

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CecilyNeville · 11/02/2018 11:23

I had wondered why the press hadn't made more of the accusations against him before, and I thought he was treading a risky line choosing to take a public profile in the last couple of years, since Jo's murder.

I didn't know he'd been a senior adviser to Gordon Brown too, until that Times link.

BillStickersIsInnocent · 11/02/2018 11:22

I’ve worked in the charity sector for pretty much all my working life - the confirmed offences and allegations are horrific and we need to move swiftly to analyse, make changes and restore public trust.
Whilst I don’t think there is a conspiracy theory in the press it’s worth bearing in mind the anti-overseas aid rhetoric that’s prevalent at the moment through Jacob Rees-Mogg etc - his motive is definitely not women’s rights.

SusanBunch · 11/02/2018 11:19

Interesting, nauticant. Yes, it's gone very quiet with the #metoo and we believe you narrative in relation to this specific story.

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nauticant · 11/02/2018 11:09

This has been common knowledge in certain circles for ages, for example from before Jo Cox was murdered:
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/save-the-children-executive-resigns-after-complaints-gwlrj53t3gt.

A sex pest husband of a female MP was only minor news but when Jo Cox was murdered it became noteworthy but unmentionable. The thing that's changed is the reporting of sexual abuse in the charity sector and the Brendan Cox story seems to exemplify that perfectly.

On the left there have been outpourings of "conspiracy!" and "Daily Fail!" but not much talk of #metoo. Again, the instinct of the left is to throw the women under the bus.

SusanBunch · 11/02/2018 11:01

That is true. These are only allegations. But there was more than one woman who made allegations against him at Save the Children and it was enough to make him resign (although at the time nobody really knew who he was). At a push it could be people ganging up against their boss and making false allegations because they dislike him. Now a separate unrelated woman in a different country has made a detailed allegation against him. It seems odd that one person should have the misfortune of this happening to him more than once.

It's very disappointing if true.

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Brokenbiscuit · 11/02/2018 10:55

Well, innocent until proven guilty, no?

I feel very conflicted by this tbh. I don't want to believe this of Brendan Cox. I knew Jo at university. I was shocked by her death but moved by his dignity. I think he has conducted himself very well in difficult circumstances.

Nevertheless, I feel that women deserve to be believed in these situations. Nobody should be immune from investigation. We cannot afford to dismiss such allegations.

I just don't want it to be true iyswim, but that doesn't mean that it might not be. I will reserve judgement for the time being.