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A giant wave that caused ripples of change in women’s fight against sexual abuse occurred only last year when the Harvey Weinstein scandal unravelled itself. The #MeToo movement brought to light a plethora of prominent names from the industry, who were accused of sexual abuse and assault. The effect of this revolutionary movement can be observed beyond Hollywood, in India and now Britain.
Britain is known for its royalty and uber politeness of its people. You would expect better from a country whose reigning monarch is a woman – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. But it so happens, that the feeling of male privilege and entitlement is not an exception anywhere.
Financial Times revealed a scandalous side of Britain’s upper echelon society, after two of their female undercover journalists attended a ‘men-only’ event as hostesses, held by The President’s Club at London’s Dorchester Hotel, on 18th January 2018.
The high-profile event was the annual charity dinner held by The President’s Club to raise funds for ‘worthy children’s causes’. It was attended by some of the most prominent people of Britain’s finance, entertainment, business and political areas. Important thinsg were being auctioned to raise the funds. One of it included a plastic surgery package for men to “add spice to your wife.”
While the event was strictly a black-tie ‘men-only’ affair, 130 hostesses were hired to keep these men ‘entertained’.
The criteria for hiring hostesses was simple – “tall, pretty and thin.”
The sexism doesn’t end there though. The dress code for the hostesses was –
“black sexy shoes, black underwear” and “short, tight black dresses, along with a thick black belt resembling a corset.”
The hostesses were called to the hotel at 4 p.m although the event was to start at 8 p.m, just to prep them up for hair and make-up. They were made to sign a 5-page-long non-disclosure agreement and were given no time to read its contents. The only warning they were given was that these men can be “annoying” but they have to put up with it. Also, if someone ‘annoys them too much’ they should meet the agency person who hired them.
All the hostesses came from different backgrounds; some were students pursuing law and marketing, others were working as hostesses part-time to make ends meet while struggling to become actors or models.
At 8 p.m, when the event finally started, they were paraded down the stage and asked to take their places next to the assigned tables. Some men stood with their hostesses to chat, while some, although seated, preferred to hold the hostesses’ hands. The women later discussed this and for some, it was a prelude to pulling the women onto their laps.
There were burlesque dancers performing on stage with furry hats and star-shaped stickers on their nipples. An elderly man attending the event blatantly asked one of the 19-year-old hostesses if she was a prostitute, which she wasn’t.
Almost all hostesses experienced groping and other forms of sexual abuse that night. Some even recounted having these men slide their hands up their skirts.
A 28-year-old woman, who worked with the other girls that night, said that she had worked as a hostess for black-tie events, but this one was different. At other events, men would try to flirt with her but that’s all. Whereas in this event, she experienced
“being repeatedly fondled on her bottom, hips, stomach and legs. One guest lunged at her to kiss her. Another invited her upstairs to his room.”
The agency that hired the hostesses also had an enforcement team in place – men and women dressed in black suits. They walked around the room and asked the less interactive hostesses to be more entertaining with their guests. There was even a monitoring system outside the washroom. If a hostess took too long to come out, they were called out and escorted back to the ballroom.
At the after-party of the event, men danced and drank with the hostesses on one side, while the other side the younger hostesses sat, looking frightened. The 28-year-old hostess said,
“They looked shocked and frightened, exhausted by what had happened.”
Another instance from the night included an attendee speaking directly to the hostess who, according to him, looked far too sober. He filled her glass with champagne, grabbed her and pulled her against his stomach and said,
“I want you to down that glass, rip off your knickers and dance on that table.”
When FT contacted the necessary people to confront them about these allegations, every single one of them denied it. From the hotel authorities to the hostess agency to some of the guests who were present – all of them blatantly denied that any such behaviours occurred during the course of the night.
And yet, The President’s Club chose to shut down after the story got out.
The club has been hosting these charity dinners for the 33 years. Women have put up with this sexual harassment for decades and no one ever knew. If they did, no one ever stood up against it. If they did, they were shut down by authorities and people in power.
Although is good to see that these incidents are now coming to light and people are fighting against it, my question is – WHEN will men realise that they are NOT entitled to a woman’s body? And that women do NOT appreciate these sexual advances like these?
It may all be in good fun and games for you, but it is harassment for us.
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