Hostesses harassed at men-only charity gala in London - FT says

[snoop1130]

Hostesses harassed at men-only charity gala in London - FT says

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Hostesses hired to entertain figures from business and politics at a secretive men-only charity fundraising gala in London were groped, propositioned and sexually harassed, the Financial Times newspaper said on Wednesday.

 

The detailed report of the Presidents Club's gala evening comes at a time of intense public debate about issues of sexual harassment in the workplace and pay discrimination against women.

 

The newspaper, which sent two people undercover to work at the event, said hostesses were told to wear skimpy black dresses with matching underwear before being paraded in front of braying men.

 

"Welcome to the most un-PC event of the year," announced the host at the start of a charity auction to raise funds for good causes, according to the article by undercover reporter Madison Marriage.

 

The Presidents Club Charitable Trust says on its website it was founded more than three decades ago to raise money for underprivileged children. The trust could not immediately be reached for comment as the website contained no contact details.

 

Lots put up for auction included a night at a strip club and a course of plastic surgery, with the invitation "Add spice to your wife".

 

BACKLASH

 

The Financial Times said the trust had two joint chairmen, London property developer Bruce Ritchie and luxury goods businessman David Meller. It said neither had provided a comment for publication.

 

The gala, held in the ballroom at the Dorchester Hotel on prestigious Park Lane, was attended by 360 men from British business, politics and finance, and the entertainment was provided by 130 hostesses hired for the occasion.

 

The Financial Times said hostesses had reported men putting hands up their skirts. One said a guest had exposed his penis to her.

 

The newspaper reported that at an after-party, held in a smaller room off the main lobby of the Dorchester, a man described as a prominent society figure had grabbed a hostess by the waist and pulled her in against his stomach.

 

"You look far too sober," the man was reported as saying. "I want you to down that glass, rip off your knickers (underwear) and dance on that table."

 

The FT report sparked a swift backlash against the event.

 

Martin Sorrell, chief executive of advertising group WPP, told BBC radio the company would no longer support the charity. Sorrell said he had attended the charity's gala event many years ago and had not seen anything like what was described in the report.

 

"If true, it's highly regrettable," he said.

 

Maria Miller, a lawmaker who chairs parliament's committee on women and equalities, tweeted that she hoped every man who attended the event would think twice before accepting another invitation to a men-only event with female hostesses.

 

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon and Alistair Smout; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Ralph Boulton)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-1-24

[trainman34014]

So; all is normal in The City then.  I worked there for 25 years and saw what is now described as 'Sexual Harassment' happening on a daily basis, but in those days it was called 'Flirting' and much of it led eventually to marriage/affairs, or just casual dating.     In these Politically Correct days no man is free to even talk to women without it being assumed he is 'after something'.    Glad my time working in Office's is well and truly over as the atmosphere must be Caustic !

[car720]

lambs being led to the slaughter, and I am not referring to the females.

[canuckamuck]

Men behaving badly at an all men function? I have never heard of such things. That was a courageous bit of undercover journalism there. No low hanging fruit that's for sure.

I wonder if they would be brave enough to have a peek at what is going on at the next bachelorette party.

[BEVUP]

So they knew it was a mens only event but were allowed in

What were they expecting 

& as mentioned it use to be called Flirting

I've been in the position of being reamed out by the boss of a project as I was trying to put the hard word on a women in Auss ( in a construction camp facility ) These women think they are the untouchables (wanna be cops )

She obviously didn't like it (a flirting attempt )

So the west can keep their BS, much better here 

Edited January 24, 2018 by BEVUP

[Kadilo]

So; all is normal in The City then.  I worked there for 25 years and saw what is now described as 'Sexual Harassment' happening on a daily basis, but in those days it was called 'Flirting' and much of it led eventually to marriage/affairs, or just casual dating.     In these Politically Correct days no man is free to even talk to women without it being assumed he is 'after something'.    Glad my time working in Office's is well and truly over as the atmosphere must be Caustic !

Putting your hand up a waitresses skirt is "flirting"?


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[Kadilo]

So they knew it was a mens only event but were allowed in
What were they expecting 
& as mentioned it use to be called Flirting
I've been in the position of being reamed out by the boss of a project as I was trying to put the hard word on a women in Auss ( in a construction camp facility ) These women think they are the untouchables (wanna be cops )
She obviously didn't like it (a flirting attempt )
So the west can keep their BS, much better here 

She was an undercover hostess. Have you actually read the article?


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[Kadilo]

Newsnight's political editor, Nicholas Watt, said he understood that new Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi was present, but that he left early because he felt "it was a bizarre and uncomfortable event"...
Yeah right, or he had been tagged.


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[nausea]

Skimpily clad girls and hypermasculine guys, well knock me down with a feather. I'm sure a real hegemonic man, James Bond say, would've acted with decorum.

Edited January 24, 2018 by nausea

[Emster23]

As it was in Britain, (no president last time I looked), perhaps going to "President's Club"  gala implied President Trump's standards, which they heartily embraced it seems.

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, BEVUP said:

So they knew it was a mens only event but were allowed in

What were they expecting 

& as mentioned it use to be called Flirting

I've been in the position of being reamed out by the boss of a project as I was trying to put the hard word on a women in Auss ( in a construction camp facility ) These women think they are the untouchables (wanna be cops )

She obviously didn't like it (a flirting attempt )

So the west can keep their BS, much better here 

Not quite.  The girls were working at the event serving tables etc.  I have been to similar men only events in the past and they are pretty pathetic.  Still very much a throw back to the fifties with men in monkey suits, smoking their cigars and getting pissed and shouting a lot.  Lot's of schoolboy innuendo and most will chance their arm with a grope of the staff if they get the chance.  The better ones will have "known" comedian who will perform their filthiest jokes with all the nods and winks.  The first one I went to years ago had Sandy Toksvig as the entertainment and all the men lapped it up.  Needless to say all the jokes were about them but it went straight over their heads.  "What is the difference between a vag*ina and a man's golf ball?  A man will happily spent half an hour looking for a golf ball".

 

It is true that now the whole PC correct thing has gone too far.  A men's drunken night where people just make fools of themselves (I speak from experience) is a long way off of a Harvey Weinstein event.  There needs to be a balance but instead we have become a world with knee jerk reactions to everything.

Edited January 24, 2018 by dunroaming

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, nausea said:

Skimpily clad girls and hypermasculine guys, well knock me down with a feather. I'm sure a real hegemonic man, James Bond say, would've acted with decorum.

Wrong on every count.  Waitresses dressed as waitresses and overweight drunken excuses for men grabbing a feel like the morons they are.

[dunroaming]

41 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

.  Needless to say all the jokes were about them but it went straight over their heads.  "What is the difference between a vag*ina and a man's golf ball?  A man will happily spent half an hour looking for a golf ball".

 

 

Sorry I really screwed up the joke.  Should be "What is the difference between a clitor*s and a golf ball?  A man will happily spend half an hour looking for a golf ball."  Sorry

[nausea]

32 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Wrong on every count.  Waitresses dressed as waitresses and overweight drunken excuses for men grabbing a feel like the morons they are.

Not really., look up hypermasculine.

[isaanbanhou]

2 hours ago, BEVUP said:

So they knew it was a mens only event but were allowed in

What were they expecting 

& as mentioned it use to be called Flirting

I've been in the position of being reamed out by the boss of a project as I was trying to put the hard word on a women in Auss ( in a construction camp facility ) These women think they are the untouchables (wanna be cops )

She obviously didn't like it (a flirting attempt )

So the west can keep their BS, much better here 

 

very sad

[tryasimight]

Oh my god,  the rot has really set in. What did you expect to happen at an event like this? Everyone sitting around drinking tea and eating cucumber sandwiches? Bunch of men out for a good time and a whole load of women around...... Really. 

An undercover reporter - do you really think they would report the overall picture.  Of course not,  she will cherry pick the juicy parts ( or make them up) so that the PC plebs can try and outdo each other by expressing their faux outrage and sell more papers. 

 

At an event with nearly five hundred people in attendance they can report three alleged incidents only. I would have thought any women who applied to work that night and were told to wear skimpy clothes may have had a bit of a clue that it may have been an adults only event and some expectation of what would be going on. 

Edited January 24, 2018 by tryasimight

[Kadilo]

8 hours ago, dunroaming said:

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42810724

 

oh well never mind. 

The cigar sucking penguins will have to find another "club" to wave their wad around and think they can do what they want. 

May will be pooing herself waiting to find out who else from her entourage was there making an arse of himself. 

[jacko45k]

I recall being brayed and booed on my way into a 'grapple and strip' evening organised at the student union in my uni days, probably in 1975.

By the way we are going stag night will not be permitted, hen parties too should be banned.

 

These rich lads should have had their party in Pattaya!

Edited January 25, 2018 by jacko45k

[canuckamuck]

I am not condoning any of the behaviors here,  I have never behaved in the way criticized in the article, even in my 20's. But a point I was trying to allude to is that if you set the situation up with the right conditions, Women will also behave this way at all women's events. Especially if you bring in attractive male entertainment. Not all women of course. But a certain minority will go far beyond anything described in  the article. Of course you will not see any major headlines about that.

You set it up right and give men or women the confidence that it is OK to let go of the PC facade and you will see some monkey business. The undercover journalism at this event is nothing short of entrapment.

[connda]

That's like saying that male dancers are sexually harassed by women at a Chippendale event.

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Wrong on every count.  Waitresses dressed as waitresses and overweight drunken excuses for men grabbing a feel like the morons they are.

and?

 

[sanemax]

14 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Putting your hand up a waitresses skirt is "flirting"?

 

Although that issue should be dealt with individually , 

[sanemax]

4 hours ago, Kadilo said:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42810724

 

oh well never mind. 

The cigar sucking penguins will have to find another "club" to wave their wad around and think they can do what they want. 

May will be pooing herself waiting to find out who else from her entourage was there making an arse of himself. 

Do you have issues with the peoples actions , or are you just against them because rich people are being targeted ?

   If if was poor people who did what they did , would you still have the same opinion ?

[Kadilo]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Do you have issues with the peoples actions , or are you just against them because rich people are being targeted ?

   If if was poor people who did what they did , would you still have the same opinion ?

Yes. It's disgusting outdated behaviour by all, but prevalently by the rich. 

 

Edited January 25, 2018 by Kadilo

[sanemax]

31 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Yes. It's disgusting outdated behaviour by all, but prevalently by the rich. 

 

Whereas all the poorer older men, seem to congregate in Pattaya , where their behavior is extremely worse

[Kadilo]

25 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Whereas all the poorer older men, seem to congregate in Pattaya , where their behavior is extremely worse

I agree. But they are doing it with women who are there to sell themselves and not what they are doing, as opposed to the likes of students in the West end who are trying to earn a few extra quid. 

Edited January 25, 2018 by Kadilo

[Kieran00001]

18 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

So; all is normal in The City then.  I worked there for 25 years and saw what is now described as 'Sexual Harassment' happening on a daily basis, but in those days it was called 'Flirting' and much of it led eventually to marriage/affairs, or just casual dating.     In these Politically Correct days no man is free to even talk to women without it being assumed he is 'after something'.    Glad my time working in Office's is well and truly over as the atmosphere must be Caustic !

 

You have a very wierd idea of what flirting means if you think either of these fall into that category.

 

hostesses had reported men putting hands up their skirts. One said a guest had exposed his penis to her.

"I want you to down that glass, rip off your knickers (underwear) and dance on that table."

 

[Kieran00001]

2 hours ago, connda said:

That's like saying that male dancers are sexually harassed by women at a Chippendale event.

 

Yeah, because waitresses are basically strippers, right?

[i claudius]

And the wheels on the bus go round and around

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[Kieran00001]

5 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

I am not condoning any of the behaviors here,  I have never behaved in the way criticized in the article, even in my 20's. But a point I was trying to allude to is that if you set the situation up with the right conditions, Women will also behave this way at all women's events. Especially if you bring in attractive male entertainment. Not all women of course. But a certain minority will go far beyond anything described in  the article. Of course you will not see any major headlines about that.

You set it up right and give men or women the confidence that it is OK to let go of the PC facade and you will see some monkey business. The undercover journalism at this event is nothing short of entrapment.

 

 In what way could it be seen as entrapment?  The reports of harassment don't even come from the journalists and even if they did they would need to have encouraged the men to harass them for it to be entrapment, but as they only witnessed others being harassed and took statements from them, all we actually have is a pathetic attempt to victim blame.