Russell Brand has openly admitted to engaging in what he described as 'exploitative' consensual sexual relations with a 16-year-old girl during the peak of his fame. The 50-year-old comedian, actor, and podcaster is set to face trial this autumn over allegations of rape and sexual assault made by six women. Brand has consistently denied all charges, which are alleged to have occurred between 1999 and 2009.
Brand's Confession on Megyn Kelly's Show
Speaking on the YouTube program of American journalist Megyn Kelly, Brand characterized his past actions as selfish and referred to himself as an 'exploiter of women.' He stated, 'I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30. When I was 30, I was a very different person. I was a lot younger, and I was an immature 30-year-old.'
He further elaborated, 'Consensual sex with a lot of people, when there is a strong power differential, as there is when you are a famous man who has the ability to attract women that I had at that time, I think involves exploitation. I think it is exploitative.' Brand acknowledged that his sexual conduct in the past was selfish and that he gave little consideration to how his actions affected others.
Legal Context and Upcoming Trial
In the United Kingdom, the age of consent is 16, unless the adult holds a 'position of trust'—such as a teacher, social worker, sports coach, or doctor—in which case the age of consent rises to 18. Brand, who previously hosted Big Brother spin-off shows, had his own BBC Radio 2 program, and appeared in numerous Hollywood films, faces three charges of rape, three allegations of sexual assault, and one charge of indecent assault.
His trial at Southwark Crown Court is scheduled to commence on October 12. During the trial, his six accusers will present their claims, and Brand will have the opportunity to give evidence. The court has previously heard that Brand is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she attended a Labour party conference in Bournemouth, grabbing a TV worker's breasts and orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet, and kissing and groping a radio worker after pushing her against a wall.
Current Status and Support Resources
Brand, who owns a home in Buckinghamshire but currently resides in the United States, is on bail while awaiting trial. For anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse, support is available through various organizations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers assistance at 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn can be reached at 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). International helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html.
