Dispatches . Russel brand .

[fabmaccawhackythumbsaloft]

I actually like Russel brand . And I don't think he's ever hidden what he used to be in his heyday. He's always been very open about his drug use, and promiscuity.

I read his first book . I watch his videos on fb , and while I don't always agree with him, he seems to have totally overhauled his lifestyle, attitudes, is into yoga, self care, seems to be a decent husband and father .

Is this newsworthy ? Young famous comedian in heyday slept with lots and lots of women , consensually he says ?

Hes never hidden it.

On drug misuse I alWays had time for his views that it should be dealt with as a medical issue not a criminal one

What's the news story ?
I always feel like there is much glee and salivating before the media try and knock someone down.
I don't think this is a huw edwards where people would be shocked at him trying to pick up young women behind his wife's back

It seems that brand has settled down , lives a fairly mundane lifestyle and is happy with his choices .

Or am I completely missing something?

Very well said.

I wonder about Institutions and safegarding...

I think it should be less about safegarding and much more about NOT facillitating criminal behaviour for profit.

Because that is what it is.

When we say they need to safegard it almost but not quite puts the blame on us women. We are the problem, we need protecting. But actually - they need to have a HUGE penalty for aiding and abetting criminals. A riff I know but what do you think?

Oh and the soundbite of his interview with Saville was simply ridiculous when Saville was actually knighted and a friend of HRH....

Investigative journalism is all about exposing institutional failure.

Think Windrush. Think Grenfell.

Scandals are the definition of a failure of justice.

And thats what journalists SHOULD be doing. Exposing them.

@Tanith This current trial by media is no replacement for it.

I agree, but it makes great entertainment, brings millions of viewers to the Murdoch news group channels and they get to tarnish the reputation of a man who they've have a strong personal vendetta with for the last ten years. Win-win.

Laura Gallacher, his wife, has delete her Instagram account.

Kirsty Gallacher her sister (yes the TV presenter) has deleted a tweet supporting Brand

Erm...he sexually assaulted her?

She tried to get him to stop shoving his dick to the back of her throat to the extent it was making her, a 16 YEAR OLD, gag and cry and he didn't.

She had to punch him in the stomach.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

It was the media who turned a blind eye and allowed his behaviour.
They did it for entertainment and to make money.
Are you really happy that they're continuing to profit by running an exposé on him, whipping up speculation all day? They're not doing it for justice, they're doing it for money.

Stop with the trial by media bullshit

There's never going to be a legal trial is there? Rape convictions are desperately low

There's no hard evidence is there!

So what then? We should all just keep quiet like good girls because he's a 'bad boy' being a 'boy' the women are making allegations for fame and fortune?

No! We want change. We need change. Toxic male behaviour must be called out

I thank the brave women who spoke out snd the journalists who put together this documentary and articule

JFC Harvey Weinstein in a bad wig. He wasn't a voracious sex addict, he was a voracious predator and proud of it. Literally no woman was safe alone with him.

The women involved should have been listened to and the police called. The dispatches programme should not have been needed. He should have been locked up years ago.

I have disliked him since the Andrew Sachs phone calls. What an odious man he seemed to be.

Or maybe they are doing it to protect other women?

I have to leave this thread now, it's beyond my ability to stay sane as someone who has been raped and sexually assaulted and read these comments

I don't think the views posted here represent what women think and I'm sorry there's so much condoning happening on MN tonight, especially to the posters who are sharing their own stories.

We all know the reasons why girls & women don't report, and why there are such low conviction rates.

These women would not have got justice without this documentary, so I don't think the points about whether it will or won't impact a trial are really relevant to be honest. Hopefully this will at the least lead to him being deplatformed and the systemic protection of predators being dismantled.

Agree with others that it's another JS.

@Angrycat2768 TV and media have known about it for a lot longer than the last three years.
Yes they need to make sure it’s bomb proof but they should have started investigating it years before they did.
We’ve learned nothing from Savile.
They’re all scrambling now to be the first to break the story.

Brand's language mirrors Saville's. They shared an inappropriate joke about inappropriate behaviour and ownership / control of women who are less powerful than they are.

It shows there is a continuing of the acceptance of behaviour by institutions which a blind eye was turned to AFTER Saville was exposed.

Narc Abuses like to shout about their acts. Especially if they feel untouchable. It is the whole thing about

“When someone shows you who they are believe them the first time.”

Do we really need to have loads of accounts of Brand's unacceptable behaviour from women who are then accused of being liars, when Brand himself repeats what they say?

THIS IS THE POINT. HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT. HENCE THE NAME OF THE PROGRAMME.

EVERYONE KNEW. AGAIN.

And yet we still know that theres every chance that Brand will never be taken to court over it. And certainly not convicted.

@wheresmymojo I equally feel like MN has reached peak insanity - this is not representative of what women think. I do not know a single person in RL who would say things like this.

I am so sorry for what happend to you

@Lastchancechica how does it make me feel as a woman? If it was only the BBC in the whole world that was responsible for this shit I would happily see them burned to the ground but it isn't, that's my point. As a woman, every day of my life, I am aware that we are raped, abused, talked down to, controlled, that I have been raped, controlled, treated like shit on someone's shoes, that it goes on everywhere, all the time and the more fame and power someone has the more that they can get away with. That's how it all makes me feel. If I thought of one moment that never watching the BBC or listening to BBC radio would make this stop I'd be in line to get rid of my licence and I'd dance with joy. But it would make not a jot of difference. Respect to you for doing what feels right for you, but the reason I questioned your attack on the BBC is not because I think they are without sin, it was because they were never his main employer. The fact that you feel that because they employed him at all is reason enough for you to cancel your licence is a fair call for you but not for me. My moral compass isn't always set due north.

i hope he rots. I can’t believe anyone could have children with a man like this.

@wednesdayatone No! We want change. We need change. Toxic male behaviour must be called out.

And you know how that starts? With woman going to the police and legal channels instead of channel 4. It reminds me of Amber heard crying "rape!" ahead of her movie promotion instead of going to the police.

If it helps a lot seem to be new registrations - I assume bots. I've raised it with mnhq in site stuff

The late 1990s/2000s was a bad period for women. Peak ladette culture. 18-30s holidays with women 'performing' sex acts on strangers. I remember waking up at a party with a random's hands in my knickers. I probably would have shagged Russell to make a good story for my friends.

This is not excusing Russell's alleged behaviour in the slightest. Just saying it was a bit different then and really not in a good way.

THAT IS THE FUCKING POINT!

INSTITUTIONAL FAILURE
AND WOMEN'S LACK OF TRUST IN THE SYSTEM TO BELIEVE THEM HENCE WHY THEY DON'T REPORT.

And you think I don't live in the real world??

I work with survivors every day, I am also one myself. Calm the hell down.