Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, stated that he would not be surprised if "many, many more" women come forward with sexual abuse allegations against comedian Russell Brand. Detectives are currently investigating two additional rape allegations involving the disgraced actor, one of which involves a victim who was 16 years old at the time.
Brand has been convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. Police have appealed for further victims to come forward, noting that high-profile cases often encourage reporting by giving victims the confidence to speak out. Sir Mark indicated that two new complainants have already come forward regarding rape allegations, bringing the total number of active rape investigations to two.
He emphasized that sexual offending often involves someone in a position of power exploiting another person, whether within an institution, a teacher-student dynamic, or an adult-child relationship. He added that Brand's case highlights that coming forward will lead to being heard.
Sir Mark also commented on defense arguments that he believed "came very close to victim blaming." He supported calls for a legal duty requiring judges to direct juries on rape myths and misconceptions in every rape trial, stating that the evidence is clear that people react differently to trauma, and victims should not be undermined for not behaving in a predictable way.
Further charges are being considered by the Crown Prosecution Service. Prosecution papers allege that one of the new complainants was groomed while a virgin by Brand, who was 30 at the time. The woman, identified as 'Alice' in a Channel 4 Dispatches program, claimed she was abused after being taken to Brand's house from school. She also stated that Brand called her "my little dolly" and that she had to punch him to stop an oral rape.
Questions are also being raised about the actions of BBC and Channel 4 executives, with Brand having previously claimed his BBC boss was tolerant of his inappropriate sexual behavior. Detectives had previously considered charging others in the entertainment industry, including Brand's aides, for enabling his crimes, but found insufficient evidence.
Brand is also facing civil claims in Britain and America. One woman is seeking £100,000 in damages in the UK, alleging he forced himself on her in 2008. A lawsuit in New York accuses him of exposing himself to cast members and sexually assaulting an extra on the set of the 2010 film "Arthur." These legal actions could significantly impact Brand's finances if successful.