HBO's Michael Jackson Documentary Is the In-Depth Survivor Story #MeToo Has Been Missing

Sometimes I worry we’re so busy “believing” survivors that we’ve stopped listening to them. In the #MeToo era, reports of gross sexual misconduct have brought down so many once-untouchable men: Harvey Weinstein, Les Moonves, Roy Moore, Catholic priests around the world. Bill Cosby is in prison. Despite his ascension to the Supreme Court, more Americans trusted Christine Blasey Ford than Brett Kavanaugh. But even as we keep believing the worst about these alleged predators, we’ve become desensitized to the lived experiences of (non-famous) victims of sexual assault and abuse. It’s all a blur of undifferentiated trauma.

It’s a relief, then, that Leaving Neverland makes the plight of survivors paramount. The two-part film, which airs March 3-4 on HBO, offers damning evidence to support the longstanding child molestation accusations against Michael Jackson. read more »

Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against New London Landlords

the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have filed a lawsuit in the District of Connecticut alleging that female tenants and applicants of residential rental properties in and around New London, Connecticut, were subjected to sexual harassment, coercion, intimidation and threats, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.

The lawsuit alleges that from at least 2011 through 2016, Richard Bruno sexually harassed female tenants and applicants of rental properties owned or co-owned by Bruno, Domco LLC, and Domco II LLC.  Bruno was an agent and property manager for Domco, which was owned by Bruno’s ex-wife.  Domco II was owned by Bruno and his ex-wife.  According to the complaint, Bruno engaged in harassment that included making unwelcome sexual advances and comments; engaging in unwanted sexual touching; demanding or pressuring female applicants to engage in sexual acts to obtain rental privileges; evicting or threatening to evict female tenants who objected to or refused sexual advances; entering the homes of female tenants without their consent; asking to take and taking pictures and videos of the bodies of his tenants and their female children; and establishing, maintaining and forcing his tenants and their minor female children to view “dungeons” or “sex rooms” in the rental properties. read more »

Ryan Adams’ UK and Ireland tour canceled after allegations of sexual misconduct

Ryan Adams’ tour of the United Kingdon and Ireland, set to launch March 30, has been canceled after allegations of sexual misconduct by the singer-songwriter that surfaced last month.

On Friday, Ticketmaster announced the cancellation in a tweet and told fans that full refunds would be processed by the end of Monday.

The news comes weeks after the New York Times published an article headlined “Ryan Adams Dangled Success. Women Say They Paid a Price.” The report detailed allegations that Adams had a history of manipulating and harassing women in the music industry, and that he engaged in sexually explicit messages with a teenage girl, sparking an FBI investigation. read more »