Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods department stores and late father of Lady Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed, has been accused of rape and sexual assault by more than 20 women, according to an explosive new documentary. At least five of these were cases of rape, as claimed by the women.

Mohamed, an Egyptian-born billionaire, died at the age of 94 last September.

His son Dodi was with Diana when she died in a car crash in 1997 while trying to escape prying paparazzi in an underground tunnel in Paris. 
 
Watch: Lesser-known facts about Princess Diana&nbsp; 
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The new documentary and podcast by BBC, Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, claims that at least 20 of his former employees suffered rape or other forms of sexual assault. It also alleged cover-up by Harrods when it was owned by Al Fayed.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-princess-diana-and-dodi-fayed-romance-was-all-fake-report-says-couple-slept-in-separate-bedrooms-410827">Also read:&nbsp;Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed romance was all fake, report says couple slept in separate bedrooms</a>

The assaults took place in properties at London, Paris, St Tropez and Abu Dhabi.

“The spider’s web of corruption and abuse in this company was unbelievable and very dark,” BBC quoted Bruce Drummond, a lawyer representing some of the women, as saying.

Harrods’ current owners said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations and that his victims had been failed for which the store sincerely apologised, the BBC said in a report.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/billionaire-mohamed-al-fayed-dies-at-94-26-years-after-princess-diana-and-dodis-car-crash-631470">Also read:&nbsp;Billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed dies at 94, 26 years after son Dodi and Princess Diana’s fatal car crash</a>

 
All the staff at Harrods were his “playthings,” it quoted one of the alleged survivors as saying. She described Al Fayed as "a monster, a sexual predator with no moral compass whatsoever.”&nbsp;

Fayed had faced sexual assault claims during his lifetime too, but the BBC said the new allegations "are of unprecedented scale and seriousness", adding it believes "many more women may have been assaulted."

In fact, several more women contacted BBC after it first published the story.

“He was vile,” said a woman who worked as Al Fayed's personal assistant from 1988 to 1991 and claimed he tried to rape her more than once.&nbsp;

She said that she is "angry" at the portrayal of Al Fayed in the hit Netflix series The Crown, which showed him as funny, generous and loyal to his employees.

"People shouldn't remember him like that. It's not how he was,” BBC quoted her as saying. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods department stores and late father of Lady Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed, has been accused of rape and sexual assault by more than 20 women, according to an explosive new documentary.

Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods department stores and late father of Lady Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed, has been accused of rape and sexual assault by more than 20 women, according to an explosive new documentary. At least five of these were cases of rape, as claimed by the women. Mohamed, an Egyptian-born billionaire, died at the age of 94 last September. His son Dodi was with Diana when she died in a car crash in 1997 while trying to escape prying paparazzi in an underground tunnel in Paris. Watch: Lesser-known facts about Princess Diana × The new documentary and podcast by BBC, Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, claims that at least 20 of his former employees suffered rape or other forms of sexual assault. It also alleged cover-up by Harrods when it was owned by Al Fayed. Also read: Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed romance was all fake, report says couple slept in separate bedrooms The assaults took place in properties at London, Paris, St Tropez and Abu Dhabi. “The spider’s web of corruption and abuse in this company was unbelievable and very dark,” BBC quoted Bruce Drummond, a lawyer representing some of the women, as saying. Harrods’ current owners said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations and that his victims had been failed for which the store sincerely apologised, the BBC said in a report. Also read: Billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed dies at 94, 26 years after son Dodi and Princess Diana’s fatal car crash All the staff at Harrods were his “playthings,” it quoted one of the alleged survivors as saying. She described Al Fayed as "a monster, a sexual predator with no moral compass whatsoever.” Fayed had faced sexual assault claims during his lifetime too, but the BBC said the new allegations "are of unprecedented scale and seriousness", adding it believes "many more women may have been assaulted." In fact, several more women contacted BBC after it first published the story. “He was vile,” said a woman who worked as Al Fayed's personal assistant from 1988 to 1991 and claimed he tried to rape her more than once. She said that she is "angry" at the portrayal of Al Fayed in the hit Netflix series The Crown, which showed him as funny, generous and loyal to his employees. "People shouldn't remember him like that. It's not how he was,” BBC quoted her as saying. (With inputs from agencies)

Mohamed Al Fayed was a rapist? 20 women come out against father of Lady Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed

Renowned Islamic scholar and former professor at Oxford University, Tariq Ramadan, was acquitted of rape and sexual coercion charges by a Geneva Criminal Court on Wednesday (May 24). He was accused by a Swiss woman who has asked to be identified by an alias ‘Brigitte.’&nbsp;

<h2>About the case</h2>

The 60-year-old was accused of rape by a Swiss woman who alleged that the incident took place in a Geneva hotel in 2008 where she was subjected to&nbsp;brutal sexual assault, beatings and insults.&nbsp;

The alleged abuse took place on the night of October 28, 2008, when Brigitte, a fan of Ramadan, was invited by him for coffee after a conference. Ramadan, who is also a Swiss citizen, would have faced up to three years in prison if he was convicted. &nbsp;

<h2>What happened in the court?</h2>

In court, Brigitte also requested that a screen be put up so that she would not have to look at the man she claimed raped her. She also went on to detail the alleged attack in detail and how the two had exchanged messages before their meeting&nbsp;at the conference and book signing.&nbsp;

The Swiss woman also spoke about how she feared that she was going to die. Brigitte said she filed the lawsuit nearly a decade later after multiple allegations emerged against Ramadan in France. While he had also previously denied all the charges, the 60-year-old did admit that he had met the woman before and invited him to his hotel room.

The 60-year-old has since rejected these claims and said he is the victim of a “trap” and called the accusations against him politically motivated. Meanwhile, his French and Swiss lawyers questioned the Swiss woman about the inconsistencies around the dates of the alleged attack.&nbsp;

The prosecution argued that she could not have made up the alleged attack as Brigitte gave details to the judges which she would not have been able to do otherwise.&nbsp;Ramadan’s lawyer also called the charges against his client “crazy”.&nbsp;

During his final statements in court last week, Ramadan asked not to be tried on his “real or supposed ideology” and urged the judges not to be “influenced by the media and political noise”.

The verdict was announced following a week’s deliberation by the three judges in the court in Geneva.&nbsp;Brigitte's&nbsp;lawyers have said that they will appeal the verdict. 
 
More cases to follow? 
 
This case could just be one of many against Ramadan as French prosecutors are still assessing if the charges brought against the Islamic scholar should be taken to court.&nbsp; 
 
He was first accused of rape in 2017&nbsp;by a French woman and after the case went public, more&nbsp;women came forward. As of 2020, Ramadan is facing at least five charges of rape, one of which was in Switzerland, while others are in France.&nbsp;

As per media reports, investigators have found hundreds of text messages he had sent to the women, some of which detail violent sexual fantasies. He also reportedly faces criminal rape complaints made by women in the United States. Notably, he had also spent nine months in detention in France before he was released&nbsp;in 2018.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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Renowned Islamic scholar and former professor at Oxford University, Tariq Ramadan, was acquitted of rape and sexual coercion charges by a Geneva Criminal Court on Wednesday (May 24).

Renowned Islamic scholar and former professor at Oxford University, Tariq Ramadan, was acquitted of rape and sexual coercion charges by a Geneva Criminal Court on Wednesday (May 24). He was accused by a Swiss woman who has asked to be identified by an alias ‘Brigitte.’ About the case The 60-year-old was accused of rape by a Swiss woman who alleged that the incident took place in a Geneva hotel in 2008 where she was subjected to brutal sexual assault, beatings and insults. The alleged abuse took place on the night of October 28, 2008, when Brigitte, a fan of Ramadan, was invited by him for coffee after a conference. Ramadan, who is also a Swiss citizen, would have faced up to three years in prison if he was convicted. What happened in the court? In court, Brigitte also requested that a screen be put up so that she would not have to look at the man she claimed raped her. She also went on to detail the alleged attack in detail and how the two had exchanged messages before their meeting at the conference and book signing. The Swiss woman also spoke about how she feared that she was going to die. Brigitte said she filed the lawsuit nearly a decade later after multiple allegations emerged against Ramadan in France. While he had also previously denied all the charges, the 60-year-old did admit that he had met the woman before and invited him to his hotel room. The 60-year-old has since rejected these claims and said he is the victim of a “trap” and called the accusations against him politically motivated. Meanwhile, his French and Swiss lawyers questioned the Swiss woman about the inconsistencies around the dates of the alleged attack. The prosecution argued that she could not have made up the alleged attack as Brigitte gave details to the judges which she would not have been able to do otherwise. Ramadan’s lawyer also called the charges against his client “crazy”. During his final statements in court last week, Ramadan asked not to be tried on his “real or supposed ideology” and urged the judges not to be “influenced by the media and political noise”. The verdict was announced following a week’s deliberation by the three judges in the court in Geneva. Brigitte's lawyers have said that they will appeal the verdict. More cases to follow? This case could just be one of many against Ramadan as French prosecutors are still assessing if the charges brought against the Islamic scholar should be taken to court. He was first accused of rape in 2017 by a French woman and after the case went public, more women came forward. As of 2020, Ramadan is facing at least five charges of rape, one of which was in Switzerland, while others are in France. As per media reports, investigators have found hundreds of text messages he had sent to the women, some of which detail violent sexual fantasies. He also reportedly faces criminal rape complaints made by women in the United States. Notably, he had also spent nine months in detention in France before he was released in 2018. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan acquitted in Swiss rape trial

E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused former US President Donald Trump of raping her 27 years ago said that he had defamed her for the second time by telling his followers last month that he didn't know her and the rape&nbsp;never happened.&nbsp; 
 
The latest defamation claim is made after Trump called Carroll "a Hoax and a lie" and repeatedly claimed "she's not my type" posting on his social account on October 10.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/weisselberg-testifies-trumps-played-role-in-defrauding-tax-authorities-535148">Also read |&nbsp;Trump Org ex-CFO Weisselberg testifies Trumps played role in defrauding tax authorities</a>

A former Elle magazine columnist, Caroll said that she'll file a lawsuit against Trump on the Thanksgiving Day November 24. &nbsp;A draft of the lawsuit was added in the Thursday filing by her lawyer Roberta Kaplan.&nbsp;They are also suing the former president over the charges of defamation over the statements given earlier.&nbsp;

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Whether or not Twitter is here, I will see you in court, Mr. Trump!<a href="https://t.co/OtKeNi3rCD">https://t.co/OtKeNi3rCD</a>
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However, in response to Kaplan, Trump's lawyer Alina Habba said, "Typical gamesmanship from Roberta Kaplan."

She added that this filing is inappropriate and said that they will take this matter to court.&nbsp;

Trump said, "E. Jean Carroll is not telling the truth, she is a woman who I had nothing to do with, didn't know, and would have no interest in knowing her if I ever had the chance."&nbsp;

He added, "Now all I have to do is go through years more of legal nonsense in order to clear my name of her and her lawyer's phony attacks on me.&nbsp;This can only happen to 'Trump'!"

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterm-results-republicans-lead-in-house-democrats-get-senate-as-washington-sees-divided-govt-534350">Also read |&nbsp;US midterms: Republicans get House control, setting stage for divided govt, probe on Biden</a>

The proposed lawsuit seeks unspecified compensation and damages for Trump's statement.&nbsp;

In 2019, Trump denied the rape allegations and said that she made the alleged encounter to sell her forthcoming book.&nbsp;In January, a Washington court will determine whether Trump was acting as a president when the lawsuit was filed. If yes, then Carroll's filing will fail because then he is shielded from defamation claims.

Later in a letter to the court, the writer appealed to delay&nbsp;the hearing to April 10 so that it can cover both lawsuits.&nbsp;

The case is Carroll v. Trump, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-07311. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused former US President Donald Trump of raping her 27 years ago said that he had defamed her for the second time by telling his followers last month that he didn't know her and the rape never happened.

E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused former US President Donald Trump of raping her 27 years ago said that he had defamed her for the second time by telling his followers last month that he didn't know her and the rape never happened. The latest defamation claim is made after Trump called Carroll "a Hoax and a lie" and repeatedly claimed "she's not my type" posting on his social account on October 10. Also read | Trump Org ex-CFO Weisselberg testifies Trumps played role in defrauding tax authorities A former Elle magazine columnist, Caroll said that she'll file a lawsuit against Trump on the Thanksgiving Day November 24. A draft of the lawsuit was added in the Thursday filing by her lawyer Roberta Kaplan. They are also suing the former president over the charges of defamation over the statements given earlier. Whether or not Twitter is here, I will see you in court, Mr. Trump!https://t.co/OtKeNi3rCD — E. Jean Carroll (@ejeancarroll) November 18, 2022 × However, in response to Kaplan, Trump's lawyer Alina Habba said, "Typical gamesmanship from Roberta Kaplan." She added that this filing is inappropriate and said that they will take this matter to court. Trump said, "E. Jean Carroll is not telling the truth, she is a woman who I had nothing to do with, didn't know, and would have no interest in knowing her if I ever had the chance." He added, "Now all I have to do is go through years more of legal nonsense in order to clear my name of her and her lawyer's phony attacks on me. This can only happen to 'Trump'!" Also read | US midterms: Republicans get House control, setting stage for divided govt, probe on Biden The proposed lawsuit seeks unspecified compensation and damages for Trump's statement. In 2019, Trump denied the rape allegations and said that she made the alleged encounter to sell her forthcoming book. In January, a Washington court will determine whether Trump was acting as a president when the lawsuit was filed. If yes, then Carroll's filing will fail because then he is shielded from defamation claims. Later in a letter to the court, the writer appealed to delay the hearing to April 10 so that it can cover both lawsuits. The case is Carroll v. Trump, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-07311. (With inputs from agencies)

'I will see you in court, Mr. Trump!': Rape accuser Carroll files another lawsuit against former president

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, hundreds of students protested outside a fraternity house in August after a student reported a sexual assault by one of its members to the police.

At Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois, demonstrations erupted Sunday after several students said they had been drugged at two fraternities. Northwestern suspended recruitment and social events at on-campus fraternity houses.

At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, rumours about a sexual assault prompted hundreds of students to show up outside the Theta Chi fraternity house, chanting an expletive, middle fingers raised. Some protesters overturned a car, and two students were arrested.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/8-arrested-in-fraternity-pledges-alcohol-poisoning-death-says-police-416134">8 arrested in fraternity pledge’s alcohol-poisoning death, says police</a>

These protests were just part of a series of similar demonstrations against fraternities that have occurred this fall — not at small liberal arts colleges, but at big universities with powerful fraternity cultures, like Syracuse University in New York and the public universities of Kansas, Iowa and Mississippi.

Some protests are responding to recent formal reports of sexual assault. A few are driven by anonymous reports on social media, which fraternities say lack credibility, and which universities say they must take seriously, given the reluctance of some victims to report an assault.

But many protesters are not fighting what they see as a single case of rape or violence. Nor are many interested in disciplinary measures, doled out case by case.

Rather, many students, feeling newly empowered after the #MeToo movement and the Black Lives Matter protests, say they want an overhaul of campus life.

“A lot of students on campus want to see the fraternity completely abolished,” said Rebecca Evans, a sophomore at the University of Iowa who helps run U for Us, which supports sexual assault victims at the university.

Fraternity officials say they understand the depth of the students’ anger about sexual assault, but that protesters are not seeing the whole picture.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worlds-third-oldest-english-speaking-university-erupts-in-controversy-after-former-students-allege-sexual-assault-313164">World's third-oldest English speaking university erupts in controversy after former students allege sexual assault</a>

“We have our challenges no doubt, just like the governors of states, just like people who are in media, just like pro athletes, just like entertainment,” said Judson Horras, president and CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference, the largest trade association of fraternities. He added, “We are being labeled for a problem that is frankly much larger than a fraternity issue.”

Fraternity officials say that while police and university investigations are continuing, their chapters have acted swiftly and decisively. The accused student at the University of Nebraska dropped out of school and is no longer a member of the chapter, according to the Interfraternity Conference.

“So many fraternity men are appalled by this behavior,” Horras said, adding that fraternity brothers who expelled members should be supported and encouraged, not targeted by protests.

“They did the right thing,” Horras said. “The protests should be directed at the behavior.”

Horras said the Interfraternity Conference had taken specific steps to stop sexual misconduct. It requires fraternity members to receive sexual misconduct education, and since the fall of 2019, it has banned the consumption of hard alcohol at fraternity parties and houses.

Fraternity members are told, he said, “You report the incident immediately because we want to have a culture of openness and accountability of individuals.”

But fraternities have impassioned opponents. The protests are in a similar vein to “Abolish Greek Life” movements that have sprung up over the past year at universities like Emory, American and North Carolina. And the entering class of college students seems more intense and unyielding than that of the students who entered just before them, students say.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/harvey-weinstein-again-pleads-not-guilty-to-sexual-assault-charges-414665">Harvey Weinstein again pleads not guilty to sexual assault charges</a>

Sohaila Ammar and Katie Robertson, both first-year students at UMass, used Instagram to build support for demonstrations on their campus after a friend passed on the accusation that a woman had been drugged and sexually assaulted. They think the pent-up energy of the coronavirus pandemic has been transferred to the protests.

“People are conditioned to be, ‘Oh, that’s how it is, that’s college culture,’” Robertson said. “My generation is a lot less tolerant of things that have happened in the past.”

“I feel like we’re a lot more radical even than the juniors and seniors, a lot more bold and forward,” Ammar said.

Sexual assault was widely discussed on platforms like TikTok over the past year of the pandemic, said Shivali Mashar, 21, a senior at UMass. And, she said, the suspicion of historically white, male-dominated institutions — like the police — has been mobilized against largely white, male-dominated fraternities.

“Whether it be girls who have experienced sexual assault at a fraternity party or Black Americans with the police, both of these groups have been violently targeted in different ways,” she said. They are not the same, she said, just that, “for a long time, this has been swept under the rug.”

Fraternities point out that they are part of a vibrant campus life — by giving students a sense of belonging on a big campus, by raising donations and helping students in their careers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prince-andrew-has-received-legal-papers-for-sexual-assault-charges-415834">Prince Andrew has received legal papers for sexual assault charges</a>

While sexual assault on campuses is said to be underreported, research on fraternities and sexual violence is thin. Some data shows that more than a quarter of female undergraduate students — and almost 7 per cent of their male counterparts — will “experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation,” according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, an advocacy group.

But some research also suggests that violence is more closely tied to alcohol abuse and peer support than to anything intrinsic to belonging to a fraternity.

Recent protests have coincided with the return of the anonymous messaging app Yik Yak in mid-August after it was discontinued four years ago. While the app is popular on college campuses because it is location-based, the anonymity it thrives on does not make it easy for protesters, administrators or police to substantiate any accusation.

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, hundreds of students protested outside a fraternity house in August after a student reported a sexual assault by one of its members to the police.

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, hundreds of students protested outside a fraternity house in August after a student reported a sexual assault by one of its members to the police. At Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois, demonstrations erupted Sunday after several students said they had been drugged at two fraternities. Northwestern suspended recruitment and social events at on-campus fraternity houses. At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, rumours about a sexual assault prompted hundreds of students to show up outside the Theta Chi fraternity house, chanting an expletive, middle fingers raised. Some protesters overturned a car, and two students were arrested. Also read | 8 arrested in fraternity pledge’s alcohol-poisoning death, says police These protests were just part of a series of similar demonstrations against fraternities that have occurred this fall — not at small liberal arts colleges, but at big universities with powerful fraternity cultures, like Syracuse University in New York and the public universities of Kansas, Iowa and Mississippi. Some protests are responding to recent formal reports of sexual assault. A few are driven by anonymous reports on social media, which fraternities say lack credibility, and which universities say they must take seriously, given the reluctance of some victims to report an assault. But many protesters are not fighting what they see as a single case of rape or violence. Nor are many interested in disciplinary measures, doled out case by case. Rather, many students, feeling newly empowered after the #MeToo movement and the Black Lives Matter protests, say they want an overhaul of campus life. “A lot of students on campus want to see the fraternity completely abolished,” said Rebecca Evans, a sophomore at the University of Iowa who helps run U for Us, which supports sexual assault victims at the university. Fraternity officials say they understand the depth of the students’ anger about sexual assault, but that protesters are not seeing the whole picture. Also read | World's third-oldest English speaking university erupts in controversy after former students allege sexual assault “We have our challenges no doubt, just like the governors of states, just like people who are in media, just like pro athletes, just like entertainment,” said Judson Horras, president and CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference, the largest trade association of fraternities. He added, “We are being labeled for a problem that is frankly much larger than a fraternity issue.” Fraternity officials say that while police and university investigations are continuing, their chapters have acted swiftly and decisively. The accused student at the University of Nebraska dropped out of school and is no longer a member of the chapter, according to the Interfraternity Conference. “So many fraternity men are appalled by this behavior,” Horras said, adding that fraternity brothers who expelled members should be supported and encouraged, not targeted by protests. “They did the right thing,” Horras said. “The protests should be directed at the behavior.” Horras said the Interfraternity Conference had taken specific steps to stop sexual misconduct. It requires fraternity members to receive sexual misconduct education, and since the fall of 2019, it has banned the consumption of hard alcohol at fraternity parties and houses. Fraternity members are told, he said, “You report the incident immediately because we want to have a culture of openness and accountability of individuals.” But fraternities have impassioned opponents. The protests are in a similar vein to “Abolish Greek Life” movements that have sprung up over the past year at universities like Emory, American and North Carolina. And the entering class of college students seems more intense and unyielding than that of the students who entered just before them, students say. Also read | Harvey Weinstein again pleads not guilty to sexual assault charges Sohaila Ammar and Katie Robertson, both first-year students at UMass, used Instagram to build support for demonstrations on their campus after a friend passed on the accusation that a woman had been drugged and sexually assaulted. They think the pent-up energy of the coronavirus pandemic has been transferred to the protests. “People are conditioned to be, ‘Oh, that’s how it is, that’s college culture,’” Robertson said. “My generation is a lot less tolerant of things that have happened in the past.” “I feel like we’re a lot more radical even than the juniors and seniors, a lot more bold and forward,” Ammar said. Sexual assault was widely discussed on platforms like TikTok over the past year of the pandemic, said Shivali Mashar, 21, a senior at UMass. And, she said, the suspicion of historically white, male-dominated institutions — like the police — has been mobilized against largely white, male-dominated fraternities. “Whether it be girls who have experienced sexual assault at a fraternity party or Black Americans with the police, both of these groups have been violently targeted in different ways,” she said. They are not the same, she said, just that, “for a long time, this has been swept under the rug.” Fraternities point out that they are part of a vibrant campus life — by giving students a sense of belonging on a big campus, by raising donations and helping students in their careers. Also read | Prince Andrew has received legal papers for sexual assault charges While sexual assault on campuses is said to be underreported, research on fraternities and sexual violence is thin. Some data shows that more than a quarter of female undergraduate students — and almost 7 per cent of their male counterparts — will “experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation,” according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, an advocacy group. But some research also suggests that violence is more closely tied to alcohol abuse and peer support than to anything intrinsic to belonging to a fraternity. Recent protests have coincided with the return of the anonymous messaging app Yik Yak in mid-August after it was discontinued four years ago. While the app is popular on college campuses because it is location-based, the anonymity it thrives on does not make it easy for protesters, administrators or police to substantiate any accusation.

After rape accusations, fraternities face protests and growing anger

A woman has revealed that she was raped by 20 firefighters when she was between 13 and 15 years old. Following this revelation, locals of France have come out in support of her.

The victim's case is being examined in France's highest court for the allegations made by the girl.&nbsp;

She has accused the firefighters of raping her over a period of two years, while she was a minor. However, three of the accused have agreed to have sex with her, but have claimed it was consensual, and not rape.

However, the victim's journal — which was written shortly after the incidents — she says she was "terrified and paralysed with fear".

She has accused a firefighter, Pierre, from the Bourg-la-Reine fire station in Paris of sending her "affectionate messages" after getting her number from her medical file. She further revealed that he had asked her to undress in front of the webcam, and then passed around her number to his colleagues when she agreed. She has also accused the other firefighters of demanding the same from her. "

Pierre had known the girl as he had helped her battle severe anxiety seizures back in 2008 when she was 13 years old. This has come as a shock for her mother too who said she used to bake cakes for the firemen as a thank you for helping her daughter through the seizures — which had severely increased after the assaults, leading to firefighters visiting her house to "help" her nearly 130 times in two years. &nbsp;

"I thought he was the last person to do such a thing because he had helped her so many times and saw how vulnerable she was," said the victim's mother.

The victim has also confessed that Pierre had taken her to his apartment while in his full uniform and had raped her. Two of his colleagues later came to his apartment and she was subjected to gang rape. This had taken place in November 2009, when was 14 years old.

Two of the accused admitted to having "group sex" with the victim while on duty and in their full uniforms. Another one admitted to having engaged in sexual activity in the cubicle of a Paris hospital's toilet but denied having spotted any signs of restraint or vulnerability from the minor girl.

What has fueled Parisians with anger is that out of the 20 accused, only three have been charged with "sexual violation" as of now, but none have been charged for rape. In France, the maximum sentence for sexual violation is seven years, which is much less when compared to 20 years for rape.

"Every stereotype about rape is in this case: the judges and the psychiatrist say Julie is a liar, that she consented to sex with all those men, and that she is lying about being raped because she is ashamed," said Marjolaine Vignola, the victim's advocate.

Several feminist groups are now joining hands and marching on the streets of Paris demanding justice for the victim who has been fighting to prove her accusations true for nearly 10 years.

"For 10 years they were fighting alone, now thousands of feminists from all over France are joining them," said Marguerite Stern, from a feminist group l’Amazone. "We are demanding that the firefighters be tried for rape and not ‘sexual violation’. This culture of misogyny in our courts must end."

A woman has revealed that she was raped by 20 firefighters when she was between 13 and 15 years old. Following this revelation, locals of France have come out in support of her.

A woman has revealed that she was raped by 20 firefighters when she was between 13 and 15 years old. Following this revelation, locals of France have come out in support of her. The victim's case is being examined in France's highest court for the allegations made by the girl. She has accused the firefighters of raping her over a period of two years, while she was a minor. However, three of the accused have agreed to have sex with her, but have claimed it was consensual, and not rape. However, the victim's journal — which was written shortly after the incidents — she says she was "terrified and paralysed with fear". She has accused a firefighter, Pierre, from the Bourg-la-Reine fire station in Paris of sending her "affectionate messages" after getting her number from her medical file. She further revealed that he had asked her to undress in front of the webcam, and then passed around her number to his colleagues when she agreed. She has also accused the other firefighters of demanding the same from her. " Pierre had known the girl as he had helped her battle severe anxiety seizures back in 2008 when she was 13 years old. This has come as a shock for her mother too who said she used to bake cakes for the firemen as a thank you for helping her daughter through the seizures — which had severely increased after the assaults, leading to firefighters visiting her house to "help" her nearly 130 times in two years. "I thought he was the last person to do such a thing because he had helped her so many times and saw how vulnerable she was," said the victim's mother. The victim has also confessed that Pierre had taken her to his apartment while in his full uniform and had raped her. Two of his colleagues later came to his apartment and she was subjected to gang rape. This had taken place in November 2009, when was 14 years old. Two of the accused admitted to having "group sex" with the victim while on duty and in their full uniforms. Another one admitted to having engaged in sexual activity in the cubicle of a Paris hospital's toilet but denied having spotted any signs of restraint or vulnerability from the minor girl. What has fueled Parisians with anger is that out of the 20 accused, only three have been charged with "sexual violation" as of now, but none have been charged for rape. In France, the maximum sentence for sexual violation is seven years, which is much less when compared to 20 years for rape. "Every stereotype about rape is in this case: the judges and the psychiatrist say Julie is a liar, that she consented to sex with all those men, and that she is lying about being raped because she is ashamed," said Marjolaine Vignola, the victim's advocate. Several feminist groups are now joining hands and marching on the streets of Paris demanding justice for the victim who has been fighting to prove her accusations true for nearly 10 years. "For 10 years they were fighting alone, now thousands of feminists from all over France are joining them," said Marguerite Stern, from a feminist group l’Amazone. "We are demanding that the firefighters be tried for rape and not ‘sexual violation’. This culture of misogyny in our courts must end."

Paris: 20 firefighters accused of raping minor for 2 years; France rallies in support of victim

The chief executive of one of Pakistan's most influential newspapers has denied accusations he raped an acclaimed filmmaker, in a case that has spotlighted sexual abuse targeting men and&nbsp;added momentum to the country's fledgling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/aamir-khan-says-yes-to-subhash-kapoors-mogul-has-the-metoo-movement-become-hogwash-248881">#MeToo</a> movement.

Director <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/film-maker-stirs-pakistan-metoo-debate-with-rape-allegation-257954">Jamshed Mahmood Raza</a> took to social media over the weekend to allege that Dawn newspaper's Hameed Haroon raped him 13 years ago.&nbsp;

In October, Raza first described the assault publicly on Twitter but referred to the alleged perpetrator as a "powerful person in our media world".

Haroon who hails from one of Pakistan's wealthiest and most influential families issued a fierce denial in Dawn, the country's most popular English daily, late Monday, calling the accusations "simply untrue and intentionally fabricated".

"I categorically deny the allegation of rape leveled against me," said Haroon in a statement.

Raza later slammed Haroon's comments, saying the statement was "nothing but a slap to all us survivors".

The allegations have again stirred controversy in the deeply conservative country, where most discussions about sex and abuse are considered taboo.&nbsp;

Some voices have called for accountability, while others dismissed notions of male-on-male <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-wearable-sticker-that-can-detect-sexual-assault-4383">sexual assault</a>.

"I have a question: how can a grown man be raped by another individual? Couldn't they have fought him off," tweeted writer Salman Rashid.&nbsp;

Others disagreed.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
There are two men claiming they were raped by Hameed Haroon. I have a question: how can a grown man be raped by another individual? Couldn't they have fought him off. Hameed is not athletic at all. One punch in the solar plexus should have done it. 
Or were these men willing?
— Salman Rashid (@odysseuslahori) <a href="https://twitter.com/odysseuslahori/status/1211484566831153153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

"Rape is not only about physical power; it is about power in general. If a powerful person coerces you to have sex with them, that is rape," wrote Nida Kirmani on Twitter.&nbsp;

The #MeToo and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/emma-watson-is-looking-for-a-tattoo-proof-reader-after-flaunting-times-up-on-her-arm-sans-an-apostrophe-35009">#Timesup</a> campaigns have gone global since allegations of sexual misconduct by Hollywood producer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/harvey-weinstein-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-model-in-new-case-269297">Harvey Weinstein</a> were made in 2017, sparking an avalanche of accusations against other powerful men.

However, the movement has been slow to catch on in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-pakistan-may-end-up-being-pushed-in-financial-action-task-force-fatf-grey-list-256100">Pakistan</a>, where women have fought for their rights for years in a patriarchal society where so-called "honour" killings and attacks on women remain commonplace.

Cases and allegations involving men assaulting other men have been even more rarely discussed in the country.&nbsp;

The chief executive of one of Pakistan's most influential newspapers has denied accusations he raped an acclaimed filmmaker, in a case that has spotlighted sexual abuse targeting men and added momentum to the country's fledgling #MeToo movement.

The chief executive of one of Pakistan's most influential newspapers has denied accusations he raped an acclaimed filmmaker, in a case that has spotlighted sexual abuse targeting men and added momentum to the country's fledgling #MeToo movement. Director Jamshed Mahmood Raza took to social media over the weekend to allege that Dawn newspaper's Hameed Haroon raped him 13 years ago. In October, Raza first described the assault publicly on Twitter but referred to the alleged perpetrator as a "powerful person in our media world". Haroon who hails from one of Pakistan's wealthiest and most influential families issued a fierce denial in Dawn, the country's most popular English daily, late Monday, calling the accusations "simply untrue and intentionally fabricated". "I categorically deny the allegation of rape leveled against me," said Haroon in a statement. Raza later slammed Haroon's comments, saying the statement was "nothing but a slap to all us survivors". The allegations have again stirred controversy in the deeply conservative country, where most discussions about sex and abuse are considered taboo. Some voices have called for accountability, while others dismissed notions of male-on-male sexual assault. "I have a question: how can a grown man be raped by another individual? Couldn't they have fought him off," tweeted writer Salman Rashid. Others disagreed. There are two men claiming they were raped by Hameed Haroon. I have a question: how can a grown man be raped by another individual? Couldn't they have fought him off. Hameed is not athletic at all. One punch in the solar plexus should have done it. Or were these men willing? — Salman Rashid (@odysseuslahori) December 30, 2019 × "Rape is not only about physical power; it is about power in general. If a powerful person coerces you to have sex with them, that is rape," wrote Nida Kirmani on Twitter. The #MeToo and #Timesup campaigns have gone global since allegations of sexual misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein were made in 2017, sparking an avalanche of accusations against other powerful men. However, the movement has been slow to catch on in Pakistan, where women have fought for their rights for years in a patriarchal society where so-called "honour" killings and attacks on women remain commonplace. Cases and allegations involving men assaulting other men have been even more rarely discussed in the country.

Pakistani media mogul rejects rape accusations by filmmaker

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