Fiona Bruce

[MayThe4th]

If Fiona Bruce had just clarified what was being referred to when talking about Stanley Johnson being guilty of domestic violence that would have been understandable. But to then go on to say that it had only happened once? Did that really need saying?

we all know domestic violence doesn’t start with a broken nose…

Oh, look. That is not what has happened. What she said was incompatible with her role.

She hasn't been 'cancelled' because she still has the right to free speech - presumably the organisation has reflected on what has arisen from the comments.

@ancientgran it's Boris Johnson, sadly I am not shocked. Boris Johnson has zero respect for women. No allegations have ever been made about physical abuse or violence by Boris Johnson, but plenty about shouting, for example.

Refuge has just announced that Fiona Bruce has stepped down from her ambassador role with the charity.

And I repeat, she was unprofessional. I can't see how Refuge could continue to work with her, whether she meant it or not.

Children come preprogrammed to love their parents, even if their parents are abusive the norm is for them to accept that and often to blame themselves or other victims in the family for "setting the abuser off". Abused adults often find it difficult to hate their partners, is it anywhere that children have complex feelings for abusive parents?

Fiona Bruce is such a devoted Tory that she instinctively went into defence mode when SJ was accused. She probably didn’t think, it just came out such is her need to defend Tories. This will come as no surprise to those who regularly watch QT.

And no she hasn’t been ‘cancelled’. She still has her job and free speech (which doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences). It’s just that you can’t say ‘only once’ in regard to domestic violence and remain a credible face of a domestic violence charity.

Tbh I’m astonished that there are so many women defending her.

There are some mistakes that can’t afford to be made. She absolutely knew what she said would have consequences, but she said it anyway.

And no it absolutely was not a witch-hunt, and neither has she been “cancelled”. But someone who says “only once” in reference to domestic violence has no place representing a domestic violence charity. It would have been professional suicide for refuge to keep her on.

But FB still has a job, so let’s not get hysterical eh?

The kind of people who say “we can never say anything any more,” are generally the kind of people who feel aggrieved that they can’t be offensive.

I suppose as the mother of grown up sons it disappoints me to think a man would be able to ignore his mother being assaulted, even Boris Johnson.

Yes well if you normalise it and minimise it for them by exposing them to years of abuse (yours/theirs/both) then it's a risk you run. Especially if their father can also be kind/funny/charming etc, which many abusers can.

I'm not talking about BJ' s situation specifically btw, more about life in an abusive home in general.

He's (BJ) put his father up for a knighthood, so obviously not that affected.

I’m obviously missing something. Just watched it and she said “friends of his have said it did happen, it was a one off” is that the part everyone is going bonkers about? She was saying what his friends have said, for balance, not what she thinks happened and at no point did she mention the word only.

I think people trying to justify this in the light of what Woman's Aid have said is not a good look.

What does the phrase 'one off' mean to you?

I would suggest those who believe that Fiona Bruce has been 'cancelled' should tune in to BBC 1 at 10:40 pm this coming Thursday.

When have you EVER heard a presenter provide balance by quoting unnamed friends of a known perpetrator?

This.

Just another example of the Twitter mob getting whipped up into a frenzy over nothing.

It's a shame that a successful female role model who supports DV victims has fallen victim to this bloodlust.

How is she supporting DV victims if she uses her huge platform to promote 'just once' minimising rhetoric attribted to people who are both clearly biased (as frends of the perpetrator) and who remain anonymous?

Unprofessional and weak.

Bloodlust? Good grief.

She quotes Stanley’s friends minimising it. She does not promote anything.

There is no reason whatsoever for bringing SJ's friends opinions into it. This is BBCQT, not the village shop.

Perhaps she was subtly highlighting what sort of man Stanley Johnson is, I have no idea. It seems highly unlikely she was promoting this as an idea though. Fiona Bruce has (ironically) previously been accused of having an axe to grind about domestic violence issues.

I can’t recall. To me it seems she needed to quote the friends because Stanley himself hasn’t denied or confirmed it happened but his friends have.

Does he have a criminal record then ?