Comedian Russell Brand has been accused of rape and sexual assault by four women who detail incidents that took place over seven years, according to an investigation by the UK’s Sunday Times, the Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches. Brand denied all allegations in a social media video he posted on Saturday, during which he claimed that these encounters were consensual.
Brand is the latest high-profile figure to face such allegations as more and more people have spoken out about sexual abuse following the rise of the Me Too movement, which shined a light on sexual misconduct by powerful individuals, including film producer Harvey Weinstein. Following the release of the investigation, additional people have come forward with undisclosed allegations about Brand, claims the Times has said they are working to verify.
In the original report, the three publications documented one allegation of rape and three allegations of sexual assault against Brand. These incidents allegedly took place between 2006 and 2013, and occurred while he was working for the BBC, on Channel 4, and in different films as an actor. The BBC and Channel 4 have since said they will be conducting internal investigations.
Historically, Brand has been known for embracing a hedonistic, dirtbag persona as both a comedian and an actor. He’s perhaps most associated with starring in films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, formerly being married to pop star Katy Perry, and performing candid standup comedy in which he spoke about his drug addiction and sexual promiscuity.
The allegations and additional context provided in the investigation underscore what appears to be a pattern of sexual misconduct by Brand as well as recurring abuses of power in his role as a media personality and comedian. The report also comes at a moment in which the enduring effects of the #MeToo movement are evident, as is the backlash it faces.
The allegations against Brand, briefly explained
There were four allegations…
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