She felt vulnerable at every night out
I literally lost an... One woman was sexually assaulted in Soho, London, in 2004. Brand took her breasts during a birthday party. She read her statement, describing initial shock and weeks of processing the event. This trauma deeply affected her self-perception. She lost self-respect and engaged with toxic men due to low self-worth. For years, she felt unworthy, viewing herself as damaged goods.
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The last three years brought immense pressure navigating the legal process
Coming forward to the police was stressful. Reencountering the ordeal was difficult. Sharing such personal trauma with strangers and loved ones was hard. Seeing her experience on the front page caused her first panic attack. Worse was the social media backlash, where some denied women invented the story. This caused distress to her family and friends. Death threats and accusations from his manic supporters created real fear for her and her family.
The last three years brought immense pressure navigating the legal process. Fear and anticipation severely impacted her physical and mental health. Another woman, assaulted at a radio station, noted Brand moved on from the violent public assault. This had a lasting effect despite her belief she had buried the incident. She tried to appear strong and continue life normally. Yet, hearing his voice or seeing his image caused her to jump. This adverse reaction affected her work, especially regarding sexual violence stories, and her relationships with male colleagues during #MeToo. She was frustrated by some who dismissed male culpability. Between 2023 and 2024, she faced serious health issues, leading to cardiac checks that were normal. Doctors diagnosed severe anxiety and recommended therapy. This coincided with media coverage of the Brand allegations. It was the first time in twenty years she spoke about it.
She nearly dropped the case due to emotional strain. She thanked the sexual violence independent advisor, the police for taking her seriously, and the prosecutor's team.
