April 27th 2024.
In a recent interview, renowned romance novelist Dame Jilly Cooper shared a frightening experience she had in her 20s. The 87-year-old author of the Rutshire Chronicles series revealed that she was almost raped, and that the #MeToo movement has had a positive impact in bringing awareness to sexual harassment and assault.
Despite her past comments about the movement "diminishing" men, Dame Jilly opened up about the seriousness of sexual assault and how terrifying it can be for women. She spoke to Celia Walden, wife of Piers Morgan, about the movement that went viral in 2017 when actress Alyssa Milano urged women to speak out about their experiences.
Dame Jilly recalled her own experience when she was working for a publisher in her 20s. "I was taken out to lunch by a man and on the way back in a cab he jumped on me and pulled my clothes apart. It was awful. I was terrified," she said. She immediately reported it to her manager, who then asked her to reveal the man's identity. However, upon learning that he was one of their authors, she was ushered out of the office.
Despite this negative experience, Dame Jilly believes that the #MeToo movement has been beneficial in many ways. She also expressed concern about the potential consequences of past actions being brought to light in the current climate. "What I find the saddest thing of all, is that now some gentle pass you made 30 years ago could come back at you, and then your career will go, your marriage will go: everything will go," she said.
In the past, Dame Jilly has also expressed worry about how men's behavior in the past may come back to haunt them. She even mentioned her character Rupert Campbell-Black, known for his sexual exploits, who would now be considered a criminal. However, she also acknowledged that men have stronger libidos than women and that not all men are guilty of sexual misconduct.
In light of her experience and support for the #MeToo movement, Dame Jilly also shared the contact information for Victim Support, an organization that offers support to survivors of rape and sexual abuse. She encouraged anyone who has a story to come forward and speak out.
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