Channel4 News story about Lord Rennard, former chairman of the LibDems.

[NicholasTeakozy]

An investigation has uncovered at least two women who say he made 'inappropriate' comments and touches.

They haven't put the story online yet, but I'll link to it when they do. It's bloody disgusting. Of the cases they showed, one woman was invited to his hotel room, another had her photo taken with him, he put his arm around her and put his hand inside the back of her dress, and another who was at his house was more or less asked for a threesome with him and her friend.

Once again those in charge show why they shouldn't be.

Link to Channel4 article by Cathy Newman.

Thanks NTea.

I found it really interesting in that it was a classic example of how everyone (men and women) close ranks when women complain about male sexually predatory behaviour.

All the denials "we received no formal complaint". Er, because you ensured that there wasn't a process to actually make a formal complaint.

It shows so clearly, how men set up systems that enable them to abuse women and then get women to run them.

Classic.

No wonder the Lib Dems want anonymity for men accused of rape.

Good point Emmeline. That wd explain their obsession with anonymity for accused.

More women complain of harrassment, which he of course denies.

I'm against anonymity for those accused of sexual offences, I think it would be another step backwards for women and a victory for abusers.

Sadly, this is only a story because it's politics & there's a hotly contested by-election. Otherwise it wouldn't make the news at all

When powerful people are accused of any crime or wrongdoing, there is a risk of them using their influence to keep it quiet or have special treatment. That is one of the most important reasons not to have anonymity for any crime. Justice must be seen to be done. The SWP debacle and now this shows women's complaints not being taken seriously. If an accused had anonymity, it would be much worse.

Clegg has now admitted that he knew of "indirect and non-specific concerns" in 2008 and says basically that they had a word with Rennard who said he didn't do it. And that was it. So either Clegg's lying about that or Rennard is lying about not knowing of any complaints against him or, possibly(!), both.

It seems it played out exactly the way women know these things play out in institutions - the people at the top try desperately to pretend that nothing has really happened and act all the time as though the way to handle an accusation is to ask the accused and accept his word. They relied on the fact that the women were too scared to put their names on the record and used the anonymous nature of the accusations as an excuse to sweep it all under the carpet without actually doing anything.

Where as the appropriate response is to be even more concerned that women are too intimidated to come forward openly and to think a culture of sexual harrassment and assault is an appalling thing that must not exist inside a democratic institution and so put their minds to ensuring that such a culture is not accepted and cannot flourish.