So here's an extraordinary thing. Yesterday I became aware of this article written by Nick Cohen in 2020. For reasons I've outlined previously, although he is a celebrated writer I don't tend to read his work so wasn't familiar. thecritic.co.uk/issues/july-au… Thread 🧵
Some of it really resonated with me. especially this bit, 'There are no grounds for British complacency. Women runners routinely experience harassment. I remember seeing a guy go for a young woman who had bent over to tie up her shoes. He grabbed her backside and scurried away.'
He continues with this eye witness account, 'It was so unexpected and over so quickly, I just stared.
A year on, I am still ashamed of myself for not realising what was happening and intervening, and I still wonder if she goes out running by herself now.' Nick, I feel the same..
A year on, I am still ashamed of myself for not realising what was happening and intervening, and I still wonder if she goes out running by herself now.' Nick, I feel the same..
I got exactly the same feelings of long running shame etc when this very writer groped me at the photocopier (I have detailed this previously too). What I hadn't appreciated is that we actually had this in common.
It is difficult to witness stuff like this & I don't want anyone to think that I am trying to hijack his trauma which he was later luckily able to monetise and use to burnish his own standing a self declared defender of women.
The only thing that I slightly question here is why he didn't bring to bear in this excellent piece (he really is a good writer) his own experience of the gropING etc. How does a groper feel in the moment for eg? It would surely add colour to bring this perspective.
Although I get a sense of the longterm impact of the poor female who has been groped here, again this could be ahem fleshed out. As I've said before, it's not just me. A number of women could give accounts of how abuse affects life including but not confined to running.
He mentions shame at his inaction. I hear you Nick.But if you had tried to report it you might have run in to a nightmare theneweuropean.co.uk/lucy-siegle-ni…
Anyway, as I'm sure you can imagine this threw up a lot of questions for me and the other women who have been affected. It has also drawn some strange responses such as 'does he still do that?' or 'was that when drinking?' We are not getting the full story here.
The writer of this piece is apparently now co-operating with an investigation by GNM pressgazette.co.uk/nick-cohens-ob…
We don't know the terms of that investigation or how long it will take because GNM has decided to cast US as the enemy which is interesting. In fact I would say that it's treatment of me (and by extension other victims) is shameful.
Here is a reminder of what we asked for from GNM via an independent enquiry that would take a broader view of workplace culture at GNM
https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1547220906203906050?s=20&t=kaGNOHCoeW76-AaJPv9GXA
J continues in that thread....
https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1547221037896564736?s=20&t=kaGNOHCoeW76-AaJPv9GXA
So it is hardly the moon on stick that we ask for. Anyway this neatly returns us to the issue of rhetoric. And my central point that should the writer choose this subject again (I understand it is a recurring theme) they might want to incorporate some of my helpful suggestions.
As a coda I'd like to mention a couple of other things. Another fun day was when GNM bounced us into their lawyers early on. A cursory google of Baker McKenzie and sexual assault threw up this gem globallegalpost.com/news/baker-mck…
Phew, case against firm not proved. Well done everybody though expensive day for Gary and that 'attempted kiss'. Reader, my confidence in the GNM process was not improved.
To borrow again from Jolyon's recent thread
https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1552706163996778496?s=20&t=cVFFpl_t2ISft2sYrLKDXg
Yes that's right folks. It's all OUR fault. Those pesky women with their subjective and premature allegations of sexual misconduct and assault stretching back over decades. My god, have you ever heard of such a thing?!
Anyway, for balance all parties concerned would say I'm sure, everything's fine and all systems are lovely and function really well and nobody is at risk ever. Complainants? Don't be ridiculous, nobody cares about them. Wherever YOU are running today, have a good one! ENDS
This is my new catchphrase inspired by this article and this scenario, 'Wherever YOU are running today, have a good one!' *winks to camera 'Nick, I said 'wink'!'
Ideally this kind of humorous outrage speaking Truth to Power should be done by @PrivateEyeNews but I think we all know, that's not going to happen! Sigh, I really do have to do all media's work right now. ENDS (really does)
*its grrrr
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