Four women attacked by disgraced comedian say they were left ‘traumatised’, ‘humiliated’ and feeling unsafe, in statements read out in court
Russell Brand sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for rape and sexual assault
Victims of Russell Brand have described the lasting impact of his crimes in statements read out at Southwark crown court by the prosecutor, Riel Karmy-Jones, on Monday. Here are the abbreviated words of the four women, one of whom read out her own statement from behind a screen.
‘I literally lost any love for myself’
The woman was sexually assaulted at a birthday party in Soho, London, in 2004, with Brand grabbing her breasts. She read out her own statement, saying:
When it happened I was in complete shock and turmoil for weeks trying to process what had happened to me, I was extremely upset and traumatised. It really affected how I viewed myself, I didn’t have any respect for myself and got into situations with toxic men as I didn’t have any self-worth. I literally lost any love for myself for a long time, thinking that I was damaged goods.
I felt vulnerable whenever I was going for an evening out for a long time after it happened, scared of giving off any signals that could be taken the wrong way. That undeserved feeling of shame and ‘what if I’d done this or done that’ has been carried around inside me for over 20 years, always there even when I’ve tried to compartmentalise and get on with my life.
For many years, as his star was rising, it was impossible to escape seeing him all over the media, being celebrated for his disgusting behaviour against women like it was all a joke. There were many times I felt visibly sick at the sight of him parading around thinking he can get away with anything.
Since the day I picked up the courage to be brave enough to come forward to the police it’s been hugely upsetting and stressful reliving the ordeal over and over again. It’s been extremely difficult speaking with complete strangers about something so personal and traumatic that has happened to me and having to tell the people closest to me what really happened after carrying the burden for so many years.
Seeing the front pages of the newspaper talking about what happened to me caused me to have the only panic attack I’ve ever had in my life, it was a truly terrifying experience.
Even more terrifying was seeing my character being torn apart on social media by people believing all of us women were making it up. It was hugely upsetting for myself, my family and friends who wanted to scream at their phones whilst scrolling through. There’s been accusations and death threats from manic supporters of him on social media which has installed a genuine fear that my name will somehow get out there and some crazy person will come after me or my family.
The last three years have been a massive strain on myself and my family navigating this whole procedure, the fear and anticipation of the trial has taken a huge toll on my mental and physical health.
‘I did not think I was strong enough to proceed’
A woman who was sexually assaulted at a radio station after Brand squeezed her breasts and forcibly kissed her said:
Russell Brand has managed to move on and even forget that he sexually assaulted me violently in a very public place and in front of people. This has had a lasting impact on my life even if I thought that I had successfully buried what happened.
I recognise this now but I tried for so long to be strong and carry on – business as usual. However, over the years hearing his voice on television, on social media or seeing his image made me jump. I had a strong adverse reaction, especially to his voice.
The incident impacted my work when dealing with stories of sexual violence. It affected my relationships with some of my male colleagues. Especially during the #MeToo movement. Hearing some refusing to accept that men in the public eye could be guilty of committing such offences left me upset and angry. I couldn’t articulate to them that this had happened to me too.
Between 2023 and 2024 I experienced serious health issues that led me to seeing a doctor. Having to undergo heart checks that came back normal. I was advised that I had serious anxiety and was advised to seek therapy.
This was the period when the allegations against Russell Brand were in the media and being investigated. It was the first time in 20 years that I had spoken to anyone about what had happened.
I almost decided to withdraw from the case as I did not think I was strong enough emotionally to proceed with my allegation. I am grateful to the support from the independent sexual violence adviser, the police team who from the start took my testimony seriously and the prosecution team who have been with me throughout this process. I do not believe that I could have come this far without them.
Russell Brand is a sexual predator who has no remorse for how his behaviour has impacted my life. I just hope that he is not allowed to hurt any more women.
“It is something I carry with me every day”
A woman who was anally raped by Brand at his London townhouse after he picked her out from a crowd after one of his gigs at the Hammersmith Apollo in early 2009 said:
Following what happened, I felt anxious, humiliated and overwhelmed. I struggled to eat and sleep, and I found it difficult to cope with my emotions. The impact was so significant that I had to take time away from work, and for a period I returned to live with my parents because I did not feel safe.
Even now, I feel that I am living with the trauma of what happened. It is something I carry with me every day and it often feels never-ending.
My confidence and self-esteem have been badly affected. I regularly feel on edge and question my own judgment. I have lost trust in other people, particularly those I do not know well, and I often worry that I will not be listened to or believed.
I also lost respect for myself following the incident and felt as though I had lost control over my own life. Looking back, I feel that I abandoned myself and my own needs.
One of the most distressing aspects following the incident was the fear that I may have contracted HIV. This fear had a profound effect on my mental health. I underwent treatment and testing and then had to endure a three-month wait for the results. During that period, I experienced significant anxiety and distress. After the incident I was in considerable physical pain and required medical examination.
The impact extended into my working life and future ambitions. What happened significantly affected my confidence and ultimately influenced my career path and ambitions.
The incident also affected my day-to-day life. I became hypervigilant and frequently found myself analysing the behaviour and demeanour of other people. I often felt on edge and avoided certain situations. The defendant’s public profile had a significant impact on me. Because of who he was and the influence he held, I did not feel confident speaking openly about what had happened. I did not know who I could trust or confide in. I felt that if I reported him, I would not be believed. His fame, wealth and influence created a power imbalance which made me feel powerless. I did not have the confidence to challenge someone who appeared so powerful, rich and influential.
His public profile meant that he remained present in my life even when I wanted to move on. I would regularly encounter references to him in the media, which made it difficult to escape reminders of what had happened.
When I eventually reported what had happened, it was not simply because of the media documentary. By that stage I had become aware of the police investigation and felt that I was finally in a stronger position mentally to disclose my experience.
The investigation and criminal justice process have been extremely difficult. Providing personal records and access to my mobile phone felt highly intrusive, and at times I felt as though I was the person being scrutinised and interrogated. Every update regarding the case brought back memories of the incident and felt like reopening old wounds. Rather than allowing me to move forward, updates often pulled me back into a painful period of my life. I have also been very anxious about attending court and being cross-examined.
The media coverage surrounding the case has added another layer of difficulty. I was unprepared for the level of publicity. It has been extremely distressing to relive what happened and then see it discussed so widely across television, newspapers and online platforms. I have been worried throughout that my identity, or the identities of my family members, could become known. The intensity of media interest has created anxieties that are separate from the rape and has made it much harder to put the experience behind me.
I have also found it upsetting to the suggestions that I was merely an obsessive fan. That portrayal does not reflect who I am. I had my own ambitions, goals and aspirations, and it has been deeply hurtful to be labelled in that way.
The impact has also been felt by my family. My father worried constantly about me, and it has been painful for him to repeatedly see in the media the man who raped me.
The consequences of what happened have affected almost every aspect of my life. Even now, I continue to experience anxiety, difficulties with trust, reduced confidence and the lasting effects of trauma.
“I am proud of myself for speaking up”
A woman who was sexually assaulted during a filming project at Channel 4 when Brand placed his head in her lap as she gave him a massage said:
Following the incident with Russell Brand I was really upset. I was wary and on my toes about something similar happening again. I felt I lost my trust in people and felt that my working environment wasn’t safe. From that point onwards I made sure that I wasn’t sitting in a room alone and consciously made sure I had a colleague with me in a professional environment. It opened my eyes up in a bad way.
I feel like I was quite innocent before and this burst that bubble. I felt powerless in that moment, and it had a knock-on effect on my confidence because I felt like I had no control on that day and there was nothing I could do about what he did to me.
Immediately after the incident I spoke up, and sadly it was brushed under the carpet by senior management. This really affected me and had something similar happened again at that time, I know I would not have had the confidence to speak up again. There was a culture at the time which meant I felt I had to just carry on and not talk about it any more.
Unboxing the memories and having to face it again after years by reporting it to police and through the process to trial was exceedingly difficult. I was so worried about whether I would be supported and heard, because I wasn’t when I first spoke up initially after the assault first happened.
The whole process was so consuming and took up so much time and head space. I was continually worrying about the effect this would have on myself and my family and whether there would be any safety implications.
Because the investigation took so much out of me and there was so much to juggle, I had to step back from work commitments. I never doubted myself, but I doubted the process, which was overwhelming and it really knocked my confidence. I did not realise how long and how difficult the process would be and it felt like a marathon I had not trained for. I always felt like there was a knot in my chest and I felt sick. I felt like I was distracted from being with my family and that I couldn’t focus and put my energy into the places where it should be.
When I attended court to provide evidence, I was well looked after by the team, but it was very overwhelming. Everything happened so quickly and there were so many rules to follow. I know that I never want to do anything like that again and it is not a place I would ever want to revisit. I felt like my life was put on hold.
Standing up and giving evidence in court to a room full of strangers and Russell Brand took me right back to how I felt on the day of the assault. It was a hugely distracting and overwhelming process and it took an awful lot out of me.
I finally feel believed but I am still so anxious. I worry that there will be repercussions for telling the truth. This was and is being spoken about so much by the world media and social media, it’s left me feeling exposed and exhausted. Everyone has an opinion about me and the others in the case, and I worry this will never go away and that it will haunt me every day, despite it being the right thing to do.
I think of myself as a calm and measured person, but I this process has really changed that. I am proud of myself for speaking up and I would not change what I did supporting the investigation. Although this process has been difficult, I do not want others to be worried about speaking up, because it is the right thing to do. I have a huge respect for every woman who took part and I think they are incredible.
