At the far end stood a huge, square bed, with quilts red like the rest, and on it a girl was lying, dressed in a frock of red velvet. At the sight of me she shrank away and tried to hide her knees under the short dress.
I had halted by the door. ‘Come here, my chicken,’ I called to her.
She gave a whimper of fright. With a bound I was beside the bed; she tried to elude me, but I seized her by the throat – like this, do you see? – tight! She struggled, she began to cry out for mercy, but I held her fast, forcing her head back her head and staring down into her face … She was a peasant girl, doubtless, whom her parents had sold into slavery.
Without another word I pulled her off the bed and threw her on the floor. And then I fell upon her like a tiger! Ah, the joy, the incomparable rapture of that time! …
More and more savagely I renewed the attack …
Ah, how she screamed, with what bitter cries of agony. But there was no one to hear them; down here under the streets of Paris we were as secure as at the heart of a pyramid. George Orwell, Down and Out in Paris and London
Across the whole German territory close to two million women are thought to have been raped. Hitler’s Last Year I & II, National Geographic 2016
They had been raped post-mortem. The Poughkeepsie Tapes 2007 starring Stacy Chbosky & Ben Messmer & Bobbi Sue Luther & Samantha Robson & Ivar Brogger & Ron Harper & Iris Bahr et al, director John Eric Dowdle, mortician
This is the story of police officers not helping you because they can’t be bothered. This is story of sexism at the heart of the police. This is the story of a female police officer who believes her own force doesn’t help victims of rape. This is the story of a public institution frustrated by endless paperwork. And this is the woman who went undercover to show you the reality of policing in Britain. Dispatches: Undercover Copper ***** Channel 4 2006
Nina’s discovered officers often watch DVDs while in the station at night. ibid.
These officers are supposed to be patrolling the M1. Instead, they drop around to Nina’s house. ibid.
‘It’s still accepted practice to display soft porn.’ ibid. Nina
‘What I saw was endemic sexism.’ ibid. Professor Liz Kelly
‘Take this sort of thing with a pinch of salt.’ ibid. rozzer describing senior officer’s attitude to rape
Less than 4% of rapes in Leicestershire are solved. ibid. commentary
‘What are we? If I’m ever raped then fucking hell I’m not reporting it to the police. I’d rather do myself in because the help you get from these people is ridiculous.’ ibid. female rozzer
Just over two months ago a close friend of Prince Andrew hanged himself in his cell at the Metropolitan Correction Centre in New York. Jeffrey Epstein was accused of being one of the most prolific child abusers of modern times. Now Epstein’s victims are speaking out fearlessly … ‘He abused over 1,000 women’ … Epstein enjoyed a 12 year friendship with Prince Andrew. The Queen’s favourite son stands accused of having sex three times with a teenage girl trafficked by Epstein, once as part of an orgy. We build up the most complete picture yet of the relationship and the Prince, forensically examining Epstein’s address book and flight log, and comparing them against Prince Andrew’s schedule. Dispatches: The Prince & the Paedophile, Channel 4 2019
Why are the British police doing nothing? ibid.
He was also known as Randy Andy. The playboy prince. He had a succession of high profile girlfriends, and was mocked on the satirical programme Spitting Image. ibid.
Virginia Roberts claimed she had her third encounter with him [Andrew]; it allegedly occurred on the Caribbean island that Epstein had acquired in 1998 called Little St James. ibid.
‘Another case which has shocked the nation. There seems to be no end to the shock and horror with brutal rapes being reported on a daily basis.’ Dispatches: India’s Rape Scandal, Indian news, Channel 4 2021
This is a story of rape, murder and political cover-up. Powerful politicians and their allies silencing women they have raped. And victims battling to be heard. In India there is outrage at the high number of rapes – a woman reports a rape here every fifteen minutes. And it’s estimated over 90% of attacks are never reported. ibid.
For many years Russell Brand was at the heart of British comedy and television. For more than a year Channel 4’s Dispatches, The Times & The Sunday Times have been investigating Russell Brand’s treatment of women. The allegations include rape, sexual assault, and control and emotionally abusive behaviour. Dispatches: Russell Brand: In Plain Sight, Channel 4 2023
‘He’s grabbing at my, my underwear, pulling it to the side. I’m telling him to get off me and he won’t get off. Like holding me up against the wall, pushing himself in me.’ ibid. victim
Five women have agreed to share their stories in this film. Four have asked to remain anonymous. ibid.
It’s 2012. Russell Brand, a British comedian from a small town in Essex, has conquered Hollywood … ‘July 1st 2012 was when my rape happened.’ ibid.
Other allegations against Russell Brand go back many years. ibid.
‘His favourite subject was him. He was a narcissist and it was like almost like a joke.’ ibid. worker
‘You were voted the Sun newspaper’s Shagger of the Year.’ ibid. Jonathan Ross’ chat show
‘Russell engaged in the behaviours of a groomer.’ iibid. victim when 16
For almost a decade rumours swirled of children being raped and brutally assaulted in a small town in north-west England. Scores of children were being groomed by predominantly British Pakistani men. Crimes that Shook Britain s7e2: Rochdale Groomers, CI 2017
Their cries for help going unheard. ibid.
It began with two women, nine men and a charge of rape rising to envelop a Jewish lawyer from New York, the justice system in Alabama, the American Communist Party, the United States Supreme Court, the attention of the nation. American Experience: Scottsboro: An American Tragedy, PBS 1999
‘The tragedy of this are nine boys’ lives hopelessly, eternally interrupted sent cascading down roads of terror and imprisonment.’ ibid. historian
The train dipped into the north-eastern corner of Alabama … a group of whites was moving along the top of the train and they stepped on the hand of one of the blacks and almost knocked him off the train … suddenly, from the shadows of a box-car emerged two white women, pale and dishevelled … ‘one of the women said we’ve been raped, all these coloured boys raped us.’ ibid.
Unable to get a lawyer in Scottsboro, the nine accused rapists were being represented by a Chattanooga real-estate attorney hired with $60 scraped together by the parents. The defendants had just one 20-minute meeting with their lawyer during which he urged them to plead guilty. ibid.
All nine Scottsboro defendants were convicted of rape. ibid.
Guards rushed their cells and beat them. ibid.
When help did come it was from the most unlikeliest of sources: the Communist Party of the United States. ibid.
Fast becoming an international cause célèbre. ibid.
To stand trial for a third time. ibid.
Black and White United and Fight. ibid. protest slogan
On many stages the mothers were joined by Ruby Bates: cast out of the South for her testimony… Ruby now apologised for her lie and proudly proclaimed herself a communist. ibid.
Bill Cosby, one of the greatest America entertainers of the last fifty years, is due to stand trial accused of sexual assault. Cosby is an American icon, a brilliant comedian who broke down racial barriers on American television. Bill Cosby: Fall of an American Icon, BBC 2017
Cosby is standing trial for a single case of sexual assault but dozens of other women claim he attacked them too. His alleged victims say he is a serial rapist who hid behind a brilliant public persona. For half a century, Bill Cosby’s reputation has remained untarnished until now. ibid.
The Cosby Show was the top rated show on American television. ibid.
‘In Hollywood we all knew he was a serial cheater.’ ibid. Viola Pryor
The now 67-year-old Cosby was about to suffer the first blow to his formidable reputation. Major news networks reported that a woman had come forward with a serious accusation against him. ibid.
‘On December 30th 2015 Bill Cosby was arrested and accused of aggravated, indecent assault.’ Bill Cosby: An American Scandal, Jarrett Ferentino, attorney, ID 2017
The story of Bill Cosby begins in 1937 … ‘Cosby grew up in the Projects in Philadelphia … his father was in the Navy and also had problems with alcohol.’ ibid.
In the 1970s he’s spending time at one of the most exclusive homes in America: the Playboy mansion. ibid.
By the end of The Cosby Show’s all-conquering run Bill had amassed a fortune in excess of $400 million. ibid.
Cosby then takes his [parenting] message on a cross-country tour. ibid.
At the start of 2015 over 30 women accused Bill Cosby of drugging and abusing them. ibid.
Rape happens more frequently than murder here and the majority of victims are under fourteen. Stacey Dooley Investigates: World’s Worst Place to be a Woman, BBC 2015
‘The most prolific rapist in history.’ Evolution of Evil s1e1: Gadaffi: Mad Dog of the Middle East, History 2015
The kidnapping of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart. Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart I, television news, CI 2018
I wasn’t just raped, I was chained up, I was starved, I was denied water, I was denied food. ibid. Smart
Terror, boredom and rape. ibid.
Complete hopelessness, despair. ibid.
He raped me. And I was devastated. ibid.