Warning: this article discusses sexual assault and rape
A clip of comedian Daniel Sloss discussing sexual assault and rape has gone viral after he went on record to discuss allegations against fellow comedian Russell Brand during a Dispatches film last night.
Brand has been the subject of – in his own words – ‘very serious criminal allegations’, including rape, sexual assault, and physical and emotional abuse.
He was the subject of a joint investigation by The Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches, which culminated in a special film on the matter being shown last night on Channel 4.
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During that film, Scottish comedian Sloss was described as ‘the only’ comedian that the programme spoke with who was willing to go on record speaking about Brand.
He revealed that he’d heard rumours about Brand’s alleged behaviour in the past, and became aware of groups on social media, including WhatsApp, involving female comedians and were used as a way to warn each other about people within the industry they had negative experiences with.
In the documentary, it was claimed that journalists had seen messages from within at least one of those groups.
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Speaking to The Times, Sloss said: "I know for many, many years that women have been warning each other about Russell.”
Russell Brand has issued a video in which he strenuously denies all allegations against him.
In a resurfaced video, Sloss discusses an incident involving one of his friends who committed a sexual crime.
“I knew this man for eight years and he f**king did it,” Sloss said. “There are monsters amongst us and they look like us.
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“If you are sick of the narrative that is currently going on about men, feel free to change it but you have to get involved.
“Don’t make the same mistake that I did for years, which was just sitting back like ‘well, I’m not part of the problem, therefore I must be part of the solution’ because that’s just not how this f**king s**t works.
“I believe and deep down I know that most men are good, but when one in 10 men are shit and the other nine do nothing they might as well not f**king be there.
“Being good on the inside counts for absolutely f**k all. You have to actively do good and get involved.
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“Instead of having this hero complex and being like ‘I’m going to beat up a rapist’ – f**king prevent one, stop one.
“I know it can be done because I know how I f**king failed at it.
“Because if I’m being 100 percent honest with myself, were there signs in my friend’s behaviour over the years towards women that I ignored?
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“The answer is yes, and then he raped my friend, and that’s on me until the day I die.”
Refuting the allegations against him, Brand said: "Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute".
He argued that all of the relationships in his past were consensual and said that he suspects a co-ordinated attack from the mainstream media against him, as well as alleging that there are witnesses that can provide evidence that directly contradicts the claims made against him.
Topics: UK News, Russell Brand, Celebrity, News, TV and Film, Channel 4
Tom Wood