September 17th 2023.
Yesterday, four women accused Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault and abuse – a feeling that survivors of abuse know all too well. There is both relief that a perpetrator is finally being named in public, and fear of the inevitable backlash.
When a powerful man is accused of sexual abuse, the public response is unfortunatley predictable. There will be victim-blaming, victim-shaming, slut-shaming, double-standards, cognitive dissonance, rank misogyny, hero-worship and accusations of conspiratorial attacks. This was exemplified when Brand released a video statement saying he believed himself to be the subject of a ‘co-ordinated attack’ by two media outlets.
GB News presenter Bev Turner was quick to tweet that Brand was being ‘attacked’, then went as far as calling him a ‘hero’ after offering him an open invite to appear on her show. This is yet another example of how women's stories are diminished and dismissed, and of why it takes so long for victims to come forward.
It's important to remember that there is no rulebook on how to respond to a crime. Some victims report immediately, some take years, some not at all. It should also be noted that there is no criticism of women who choose to remain anonymous either.
The public discourse surrounding sexual assault is exhausting, and it is made worse by people who victim-blame and imply that those who come forward lack courage. There is always an implicit pressure to show your face if you accuse a powerful man, which implies that choosing to stay anonymous somehow lacks courage – it doesn’t.
At the centre of this story are four women who should not have to be praised for coming forward with their allegations. What we need is for society to provide more emotional, legal, financial, medical and institutional support, to remove the burden of bravery from victims in order to get justice.
I hope that all survivors and those whose lives have been impacted by sexual assault are able to feel supported and looked after over what could be a very triggering and traumatic week of insufferable commentary. We need to do better in order to create a safe space for victims to come forward.
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