Brand conviction shines light on entertainment industry's culture of silence
LONDON, Nov 5 -
asserted
conviction → shin → silence
Russell Brand's conviction for sex crimes has renewed scrutiny of how Britain's entertainment industry has treated high-profile performers accused of abusing their power, with some women saying they feared speaking out could damage their careers.
uncertain
speaking → renew → careers
The British comedian and actor was convicted on Thursday of one count of rape and three sexual assaults near the height of his fame in the mid-2000s, when he worked for Channel 4 and the BBC.
asserted
he → convict → Channel
Three of the four victims had worked in the media industry.
asserted
Three → work → industry
Some of the women who came across Brand in a professional capacity told the jury they did not report him at the time because of his stature, saying they thought they would not be believed or that it could damage their careers.
"What we've seen as well as a group of entitled men behaving badly is that they've been enabled to do that historically because they are so-called ... 'talent'," Caroline Frost, TV editor of the Radio Times, told Reuters.
uncertain
Frost → come → Reuters
"They bring crowds, they bring audiences, they bring money.
asserted
they → bring → money
And that gives them a lot of power and a lot of status that they don't deserve, so their celebrity is writing cheques that their moral compasses cannot cash."
asserted
compasses → give → that
CHANNEL 4 SAYS ITS THOUGHTS ARE WITH VICTIMS
One of the sexual assaults Brand was found guilty of took place in 2009 in front of two producers, who told the woman that Brand would only continue working if she gave him a massage, during which Brand put his face in her crotch.
The woman – who complained to her line manager at Channel 4 at the time – said in evidence that the producers did not help, describing a "culture of fear" around stars and a general tolerance of sexist "banter" at the time.
asserted
producers → say → time
A Channel 4 spokesperson said in a statement: "Our thoughts are first and foremost with the six women involved in the case against Russell Brand, including those affected by the crimes for which he has been convicted."
asserted
he → say → which
The channel's then CEO in 2024 had apologised that the 2009 sexual assault was "not escalated to Channel 4's then senior management team".
asserted
assault → apologise → team
While the incidents took place around two decades ago, Brand's case has echoes of more recent scandals.
asserted
case → take → scandals
Brand tried to have the case against him dismissed in the days before the trial started, arguing that, because of the publicity around it, he could not receive a fair hearing.
uncertain
he → try → hearing
He denied the charges and ever having non-consensual sex.
asserted
He → deny → sex
Laura Nelson, from the Metropolitan Police, said Brand was a sexual predator who abused his power throughout his career "and he's been emboldened the more and more famous that he's become".
asserted
he → say → career
"I think there are other victims out there," she told Reuters.
asserted
she → think → Reuters
VICTIM TOLD COURT 'MEDIA INDUSTRY PROTECTS ITS OWN'
asserted
INDUSTRY → tell → OWN
The global #MeToo movement has exposed men accused of sexual harassment in fields including entertainment, politics and business, kicking off in earnest after Hollywood film mogul Harvey Weinstein was fired from his production company in 2017.
asserted
Weinstein → expose → 2017
Weinstein, who has denied the allegations against him, was jailed for 15 years in September for sexual assault.
asserted
who → deny → assault
Brand's conviction makes him one of the most high-profile British figures to be found guilty since the #MeToo movement swept the industry.
asserted
movement → make → industry
One of Brand's victims, who accused Brand of grabbing her breasts and then orally raping her in 2004, said she did not report it partly because "the media industry protects its own".
asserted
industry → accuse → own
Another woman, who alleged Brand tried to drag her into the toilets at MTV in 2001, cited Brand's status, telling jurors: "I've got a mortgage to pay, so what's the point of making life hard for myself?"
asserted
life → allege → myself
Brand was acquitted of that charge.
asserted
Brand → acquit → charge
Brand separately faces a lawsuit in the US which alleges that in 2010 he exposed his penis to an extra on the set of "Arthur" and then sexually assaulted her in a toilet cubicle, while a crew member allegedly stood guard outside.
uncertain
member → face → guard
He has denied wrongdoing.
asserted
He → deny → wrongdoing
The lawsuit is also being brought against the producers Warner Bros., which denies liability and tried to have the case thrown out.
asserted
case → bring → liability
A judge rejected that move this month.
asserted
judge → reject → move
BRAND CASE REFLECTS INDUSTRY ISSUE
asserted
CASE → reflect → ISSUE
Allegations against Brand first came to light in a 2023 documentary, which prompted the six complainants in the trial to go to the police.
asserted
which → come → police
It also triggered internal reviews at the BBC and production company Banijay, which had acquired the company which produced Channel 4 shows presented by Brand.
asserted
which → trigger → Brand
The review by the BBC, which has been dogged by several scandals about its biggest stars, found that staff felt unable to raise complaints about Brand's inappropriate behaviour when he worked there between 2006 and 2008.
asserted
he → dog → 2006
A BBC spokesperson hailed "the brave women who came forward and told their stories which led to a conviction", adding: "There can be no place for the abuse of power."
asserted
which → hail → power
Banijay's 2024 review found that no formal complaints were ever raised.
asserted
complaints → find → ?
After the initial report — coming after news presenter Huw Edwards' conviction for child abuse images — the BBC's then director general Tim Davie said there was an industry-wide issue.
asserted
general → come → images
The BBC and other broadcasters say they have all put in stronger duty-of-care protections now.
asserted
they → say → protections
Detective Inspector Nelson said she hoped the conviction would be a "watershed moment" where any other victims would come forward.
asserted
victims → say → ?
"And I hope this case demonstrates that people will be believed," she said.
asserted
she → hope → ?
The Aporia
