Is there a hidden agenda? The TV star Russell Brand is accused of abusing women. He says it is not true — and that he is being targeted for his work.
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Accusations mount as Brand fights back
Is there a hidden agenda? The TV star Russell Brand is accused of abusing women. He says it is not true - and that he is being targeted for his work.
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What's happening?
Russell BrandAn English actor and comedian. In 2023, he was accused of sexual assault. has been a well-known face on British television for more than 20 years. But now, some women have come forward and claimed that he sexually abused them. One of them said: "I know the demon underneath."
Brand says the claims are not true, and that women always agreed to have a relationship with him.
People see the case in very different ways. For many, a picture is building of a person who ruined women's lives.
But Brand still has lots of supporters. They claim he is being punished for his recent work, in which he has spoken out against the media and backed conspiracy theoriesTheories that explain world events by blaming shady groups of powerful people operating in secret. Some conspiracy theories have a basis in fact, but many more of them are completely invented. What is more, they often play on dangerous prejudices such as antisemitism. It's worth being especially cautious and critical when you come across accounts that ascribe enormous agency to small and secretive groups. on YouTube.
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Some of the people who support him include Elon MuskA South African-born entrepreneur whose companies have included the online payment service PayPal., Andrew TateAn American-British media personality who has become notorious for controversial videos. He has been charged with rape and human trafficking. and Katie HopkinsAn English media personality and far-right political commentator. .
They say it is strange that the claims are only being made now, when most of them are said to have happened a long time ago.
But others think it is not strange at all. The women say they were afraid that if they accused Brand in public, he would harm their careers. Many of them also work in TV.
We know that a lot of sexual assaults are not reported to the police, either straight away or at all. This is not uncommon.
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Is there a hidden agenda?
Yes! Brand says he has done nothing wrong. It is not wrong to ask why these claims have come out now that Brand has started to say things that are different to most other TV stars.
No! We know how hard it is for women to make claims against powerful men. Many worry they will not be listened to. So it is not strange at all that the claims are coming out now.
Keywords
Russell Brand - An English actor and comedian. In 2023, he was accused of sexual assault.
Conspiracy theories - Theories that explain world events by blaming shady groups of powerful people operating in secret. Some conspiracy theories have a basis in fact, but many more of them are completely invented. What is more, they often play on dangerous prejudices such as antisemitism. It's worth being especially cautious and critical when you come across accounts that ascribe enormous agency to small and secretive groups.
Elon Musk - A South African-born entrepreneur whose companies have included the online payment service PayPal.
Andrew Tate - An American-British media personality who has become notorious for controversial videos. He has been charged with rape and human trafficking.
Katie Hopkins - An English media personality and far-right political commentator.
Accusations mount as Brand fights back
Branded: The comedian insists all of his relationships have been “consensual”. Glossary
Russell Brand - An English actor and comedian. In 2023, he was accused of sexual assault.
Conspiracy theories - Theories that explain world events by blaming shady groups of powerful people operating in secret. Some conspiracy theories have a basis in fact, but many more of them are completely invented. What is more, they often play on dangerous prejudices such as antisemitism. It's worth being especially cautious and critical when you come across accounts that ascribe enormous agency to small and secretive groups.
Elon Musk - A South African-born entrepreneur whose companies have included the online payment service PayPal.
Andrew Tate - An American-British media personality who has become notorious for controversial videos. He has been charged with rape and human trafficking.
Katie Hopkins - An English media personality and far-right political commentator.