Britain's entertainment industry faces growing calls for reform after a week of rape and sexual abuse cases involving famous men, KBC reported. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said late on Thursday that the media industry must check whether it is doing enough to protect the women and girls who work in it.
On Monday a court jailed comedian and former Hollywood actor Russell Brand for more than 10 years. He was convicted of rape and sexual assault against four women in the 2000s, when he was at the height of his fame. His victims included a fan and female staff at media organisations where he worked. On Friday the Times reported fresh allegations that six more women had been assaulted by Brand.
Also on Friday, London's Metropolitan Police said it was investigating allegations of "serious sexual offences" against children's author David Walliams. The claims surfaced this week in a joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News. According to the Guardian, women who had relationships with him as teenagers now consider it grooming. Walliams denies the accusations and any wrongdoing beyond hurting their feelings. KBC reported that his lawyers had initially blocked publication of the claims.
Comedian Lucy Beaumont, who said she was one of the Guardian's whistleblowers, told Sky News there is "a window of opportunity to change things". She described an industry with "no HR department, no proper duty of care". She also admitted she feared she might "never work in telly again" after speaking out. Culture Minister Lisa Nandy will meet industry bosses on Tuesday. She warned that ministers "would not hesitate" to act if protections fall short.
Experts want both legal and cultural change. University of Leeds media lecturer Kat Higgins called for a "cultural reckoning" over how society responds to credible allegations. She also urged an end to the "pernicious use" of non-disclosure agreements to silence survivors. Anna Bull of the University of York said the culture has improved, but "far too slowly". She noted that tougher rules requiring employers to prevent sexual harassment took effect only a few weeks ago. Young freelancers in film and TV are especially vulnerable because of insecure jobs and a sharp fall in vacancies, she added.
The scandals follow a long line of cases. In 2012 it emerged that the late children's TV presenter Jimmy Savile had abused dozens of children. Glam rocker Gary Glitter and entertainer Rolf Harris were also exposed, and Harris was convicted in 2014 of underage-sex crimes. Writing in the Guardian, entertainment journalist Sophie Heawood said fame "loomed so large" at Brand's trial that it felt almost on trial itself.