Russel has spoken

[Whyismyfacealwaysdry]

On Instagram, has anyone seen? What are your thoughts?

Why hadn’t he been arrested yet?

He didn’t claim all ‘actions’ were consensual.

He said all of his ‘relationships’ were consensual. That’s two very different things.

Anyone can have a consensual relationship. That doesn’t mean the actions within it were consensual.

Doesn’t everyone?

@Jumpingthruhoops
There are plenty of cases where individuals are wrongly accused and there are plenty of sayings in our culture that would back up the idea that even the accused should remain anonymous until proven guilty. A actor I really like, Craig David, (think Dave Lister from Red Dwarf) was accused of rape. He successfully over turned the case and proved his innocence but struggled to get his career back on track because his public profile had become so tarnished (think "nothing sticks like mud" and "no smoke without fire").

Yet... I 100% support @Its5656 statement. You only have to think of Jimmy Saville to realise how important it was to reveal him. For the survivors of his reign of terror it must have been like opening the flood gates. Yes sometimes this policy is wrong, but most of the time it's the right approach!

@Winnipeg23

We better watch we don't shut down freedom.of speech at the same time.

He's been free to say whatever he wants. He's previously used legal teams to silence stories, as is his right. He has made video statements on public platforms regarding the recent allegations, as is his right.

He has not been silenced, he has been demonetised by one platform. He still has his accounts live on social media and content platforms. His freedom of speech has at no time been removed by anyone.

It's baffling to me that people warn about freedom of speech when they're actually against the allegations having been made public... aka freedom of speech for the victims and the journalists who investigated their claims.

He doesn't have great critical thinking skills. I'd respect him more if he had finished his degree at SOAS or if he interviewed Ben Goldacre.

He appears to have traits similar to certain personality disorders.

@threatmatrix

What's your threshold for believing someone to be guilty? Only a conviction? Do you consider Jimmy Saville to have been a prolific sex offender? Or would you tell people they shouldn't label him that as he was never charged or convicted before dying?

This is bang on. He appears disordered.

Can't be bothered with him. I hope the police can investigate

Has there been an invasion or always this many doubters etc about such subjects?

Never liked him. He was intense, weirdly aggressive, fake and unfunny.
There are many reasons victims go to the media. This will continue until our justice system for victims of sexually aggressive crimes can be trusted.
This is not about sex addiction. It’s power and control.

I feel really sorry for his wife and children 🙁

I listened to a bit his waffle, but got bored.

I must admit, the fact that a channel can be shut down is a bit worrying, though Brand isn't the first person it's happened to, a lot of youtubers I like are perpetually getting banned and they don't have a fraction of the platform Brand has.

I gather he won't be addressing the allegations against him, because he can't. A lot of his predatory behaviour was performed in plain sight and admitted in his own memoirs. People just didn't realize or want to realize just how bad it was. I mean, let's say 'alleged' for the sake of argument, but I do not think all those women are lying.

His recent incarnation as a wellness/conspiracy guru is even creepier than his skeezy libertine persona, left unhindered it wouldn't surprise me if he was running a cult in a few years.

He hasn't lost his platform though, has he? I thought his content was still there. He just can't make an income anymore.

This is so good:

So if a 16 year old's parent fails to protect them from a much older man who then orally rapes them, the oral rape in question is somehow less.... what? What's your point re bringing up that their mother didn't stop them seeing him? What difference does that make to the allegation in question?

"If Russel Brand had ever approached me I’d have known what he wanted as I’m not stupid."
So blame the victim for being stupid?

Normally I agree with the premise - but in this situation, I am more than willing to make an exception.

Do you think Jimmy Savile is innocent too then? He wasn't found guilty in a court of law?

This ^ is exactly how I feel.

@threatmatrix

Nothing to say about the mother who put her 16 year old in a taxi to go and see him?

Much has been made of the fact that the 16 year old was over the age of consent.

Old enough to consent to sex with a 31 yo man, but not old enough to go out without her mum’s permission?

Not sure what her mum’s got to do with it really, the allegation is of rape.

If Russel Brand had ever approached me I’d have known what he wanted as I’m not stupid.

to rape you?

You do understand, the allegations are of rape and sexual assault? Not ‘being a bit pervy’?

After reading all the messages of support for an alleged rapist, is it any wonder that people don't come forward? As well as having your life turned inside out so that you can hopefully get some kind of justice in court, many people just won't believe a word you're saying even when there's evidence to show abuse has taken place.

I’ve always found him thoroughly obnoxious and utterly revolting but that’s not against the law. The accusations are so he is innocent until found guilty.

Don't think u really understood anything of what I was saying but never mind. I'll leave it there.

I never liked Russel Brands humour or his confrontational ways however I do believe in innocent till proven guilty so I wouldn’t call him rapist just yet