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?

I thought Katherine Ryan had been saying this for ages? Maybe there are enough people coming forward now to support proper investigation.

I'm sorry but you live in a fantasy world. Of course it is true. Of course going to the police is pointless. I wish I still lived with that naive optimism.

For any prosecution case the victim has to be willing to give evidence and go to court which is a massive sticking point, and it's a horrible process so I totally get why more women don't

Things really need to change in rape cases . I 100% agree on that .

I do think trial by media is wrong . It serves nothing . If the women in this article want justice they should do what other women in that position do and inform the correct authorities to investigate not splash it all over the media which to some degree doesn't help their case.

but other women don’t report to the correct authorities. Until the police and wider society get with the programme and start treating women’s claims as worthy of investigation they will continue not to.

frankly this is what the media should be doing. Drawing attention to issues that authorities shy away from and putting pressure on them to do their jobs correctly. I dislike the sensationalist aspect but so can’t deny they achieve more than the entire police force put together do at times.

I’m a little bit bemused op by the irony of you stating you’re against trial by media, whilst starting a thread to speculate on what he’s done and if he’s guilty. The program hasn’t even aired yet. Could you not even wait to watch it first??

My experience is different re courts and prosecution , but I concede I may be in the minority.

As you know OP, it is very difficult to get a conviction for sexual assault, because it is one person’s word against another’s.

And yes people do thus worry about their careers’ being ruined if they make an allegation they know won’t go anywhere. Why wouldn’t they worry about this?

The police aren’t going to chase up hundreds of rumours, but journalists can.

This is a well researched article and programme. All the materials will long since have been handed to the authorities.

It’s a useful exercise for people to become more aware of the ability of powerful people to get away with abuse. We are naive about it. You were naive about it.

@Mouseflap "I believe women 'but'"??
Come on! You do or you don't. A 16 year old gets raped in the mouth by a powerful, famous 31 year old man and there's people on this thread criticising his victims methods of justice? I though the world was getter better for women, I really did.

I can’t see this programme being aired without solid evidence but of course I could be wrong.
Sadly, I think it’s probably very likely that Brand was more than just promiscuous with consenting sexual partners. If so, I hope the women get justice.

I don't think the world is getting better for women . Far from it .

Apparently it’s an expose on a number of comedians, Russell Brand being one of them.

@Janieforever again, here is the link to The Times/Sunday Times article (it is a combined investigation with Channel 4’s Dispatches programme).

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/d4d93e74-5478-11ee-bc18-cbdd58145dc6?shareToken=b3cd34ae6268daad4741e6c092ceac97

Tbh you don't get to decide what justice looks like for victims. It can vary from a police complaint, to a conviction to simply being listened to and your story heard.

victim has to be willing to give evidence and go to court which is a massive sticking point

hmmmm, I’d say getting their case past the CPS is possibly a larger one.

True I guess it's about what the women want to come from this . Not just conviction or criminal justice.

Trial by media means he looses his job, his following, his power. It would be better if he is locked up, yes but rape is legal if you're a famous man so it won't happen. The evidence there is against him is astonishing - but again, rape is legal for him.

Therefore I applaud these women and am all for trial by Media.

I just posted this on another thread but for me it clearly marks him as someone who abuses power to get what he wants. The piece is from the mail but the direct quotes are the parts that damn him. The prostitute clearly didn’t want to have sex and his only gripe is what he describes as her poor performance. Drips with misogyny.

He picked up a young prostitute in Istanbul, made her cry when he broke her mobile phone against a wall while they were having sex, and then demanded a refund of his money. 'Frankly this girl was a sorry fair-weather excuse for a prostitute. Eventually she agreed to have sex but it was a kind of weary half hearted semi erect bored disappointing but of sex for which I'd paid a lot of money.' After he broke her phone he said: 'This is not looking good. I'm going to have to walk past reception in a minute, five paces behind a crying prostitute.'

Absolutely true. I've had experience in this where I've been left absolutely exasperated and angry.

I understand that a couple of allegations originate from the states. I’m not even sure they could be prosecuted here??

You are helping make sure it doesn't by starting threads responding to rape survivors by saying oh come on he was just promiscuous

Again, here is how thoroughly this ‘story’ has been investigated, dating back to 2019.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/b6304712-549e-11ee-a656-6ab0b4a9fede?shareToken=39065987ca500f79286ea7e4ade3efc2

Read what I said- I do believe women but I havent read much about this. I believe any and all of the women who have come forward but I wasn't assuming that what the PP posted has been reported because I haven't read the reports myself. I would rather he faces time in prison yes rather than having to bear witness online of people (men) try and justify his actions, stick up for him or discredit his victims. I know life ain't that peachy but not sure that's a controversial view? Famous men often get away with a lot of horrific things and carry on with a career of sorts, that shouldn't be the case. So yes actual justice is much more aspirational.

Huber I am guilty of actually not knowing what had been alleged. I misinterpreted the mainstream media new story without being able to find the actual details , I only could find the response on twitter

If this is true, and I'm not saying I disbelieve the women, but this isn't the right way to get justice .

I mean the right way to get justice would be to go to court. But given Ched Evans rape victim had to leave her family and change her name three times to escape death threats when she did I don't blame, or question the integrity of, any woman who prefers the relative anonymity that the media can provide

You know what the current conviction rate is for rape in this country OP? Go and look it up. Add in a defence barrister calling into question every aspect of a victim's personal life and moral values, to be made a matter of public court records and tell me again why women don't go to the police.