On the heels of Rose McGowan revealing her rape, former Cheetah Girl, Adrienne Bailon announced on The Real Tuesday that she was sexually assaulted by a music executive as she was coming up in the industry. Adrienne told her cohosts that the exec would kiss her on the lips as he passed her in the hallways and that it happened repeatedly.
Adrienne Bailon is getting real about sexual harassment in the music industry.
The 32-year-old former lead singer for The Cheetah Girls opened up to her “The Real” co-hosts on Tuesday about how she was sexually harassed as a teenager in the music business.
“I even experienced an executive that would kiss me on the lips,” she said. “It consistently happened to the point where I was like, ‘This ain’t cool, man. Now he knows I’m not going to say anything.’ Which is not OK.”
The singer and actress explained she was young and allowed it to happen, even believing that at first he had done it as an accident.
“Obviously that happened then, I would never allow that to happen now, but a lot of women are in fear,” she added.
Bailon went on to explain that many women let similar harassment or assault happen because they are in fear.
“These men are usually… because you’re famous you can get away with it,” she added.
[From NY Daily News]
Sadly, the fear of being drummed out of their industry keeps coming up time and again for these women who are speaking up. The audacity of this SOB kissing a teenager on the mouth in a hallway, visible to all just because he could galls me. I don’t even want to think what he did behind closed doors.
During the clip, which is posted below, Tamera Mowry asked Adrienne if she ever turned her cheek to avoid the lips. Adrienne said that the first time, she thought it might have been an accident. Loni Love quickly interjected with “that’s how it starts.” This. A woman is caught off guard, doesn’t know how to handle it, maybe even gives the situation the benefit of the doubt and in that split second of shock, the assaulter takes over. “She wanted it.” “She let it happen before.” Add Adrienne’s youth and fledgling music career and I completely understand how she felt she had to swallow her feelings about this.
The sheer volume of stories coming out astounds me. Once again, I applaud everyone coming forward with their stories, including our commenters. It’s hard to hear and exponentially harder to tell, I’m sure, but it does seems to be ripping the lid off of what appears to be a systemic problem. So to everyone telling their truth: you are fighting the good fight – let me know how I can help.
Photo credit: WENN Photos and Getty Images
This is all too common for, especially young girls, in the workplace. I worked in a grocery store in high school and my manager would comment about how nice my ass was, or he’d say things like “wow you have such big lips, I can think of one thing they’d be good for.” This was between the ages of 14-16 and he was in his 40s. I honestly remember brushing it aside and not really thinking anything wrong because he was just being a guy. Now in my late 20s I realize how programmed we are to accept these things because they happen all the time
Yep. When I got my first job my boss (extremely large man) would always comment on my looks and give me these lecherous type of stares. Then he physically put his hands on my waist while we were alone in a room together to move me out of his way, instead of simply asking me to move. That was the beginning of the end of that job. You’re right, it’s far too common.
My first job I had I was 17. Now I truly am one of those people who don’t look their age. So 17 I looked 12..seriously. I had no boobs or curves so i looked even younger lol. I have thick long hair and I would wear it in pigtails to keep it out of my way since I worked at a restaurant. Well this group of guys who were construction workers would come in every week. One of them had white hair and was in his 50s easily..he would always be inappropriate. One time he asked when my bday was. I said November. He said ohh good you’ll have to let me know what day so I can give you a spankin. He would also talk about my ass as i walked them to the table. I ran to manager crying. He didnt care. He laughed. This guy would continue to say gross things to the point where i threw a fit and said i refuse to seat them anymore. The last straw was when he came up to hostess stand and gave me $10 “because I was wearing his favorite hair style”. Im 29 now with 5 kids and one of which is a girl. I will shoot a mf if a man talked to my daughter like that 😠
Today in Argentina we’re once again going on a demonstration to protest against all types of violence against girls and women, under the usual slogans #NiUnaMenos (NotOneWomanLess) and #VivasNosQueremos (WeWantOurselvesAlive). The latter one is (unfortunately) needed due to the many deaths of women to the hands of men that have happened during the past years here. The latest case (a sixteen year-old girl who was drugged, sexually abused, impalled until she died of heart causes) is, as you can tell, one of the most gruesome so far.
Almost all women have been sexually assaulted. I’ve been groped by a teacher, a stranger on the train pulled a Trump and literally grabbed my p*ssy, and was molested by an older female family member when I was a kid.
At the respective times of these incidents, I did not see them as sexual assault, because myself and the people around me viewed ‘sexual assault’ as violent rape by a stranger in an alleyway, not these smaller incidents. I now see each of these incidents were sexual assault. They made me scared and angry, and I was too ashamed to tell anybody. This is the first time that I’m talking about it I guess.
It’s because of people like Joanna Lumley and the Meninists who say that our culture is becoming ‘too PC’ and we are ‘too sensitive’, and downplay/ justify male entitlement that I did not speak up. It is because this website recognises and talks about sexual assault in ALL its forms, and *believes* women, that I feel comfortable enough to speak about it for the first time.
When ppl talk about being “too pc” they are not talking about when ppl put their hands on another. Must be miscommunication =[ or those ppl dont know what they’re talking about.
You have my deepest sympathy @crujonomub. Well done for opening your heart about these incidents in your life, that were never your fault. It is the shame and guilt that is associated with sexual assault that hold us back from true healing, and the truth is that it is the assaulter’s fault, and only the assaulter’s fault, not yours. As a fellow survivor I applaud you opening up about your pain, it does help to talk about it. The only good thing about the Tangerine One’s campaign, I think, is that it has widened the dialogue as to how common predatory behaviour is in our societies, and how ferocious we need to be about addressing the problem, and helping to change it for all women/people.
I wish you health, healing, and happiness in your life. You deserve all good things.
The only upside to the Trump debacle is it has opened up a conversation about sexual assault AND it’s frequency.
Much like everyone else I’ve had numerous experiences, the worst was my employer offered me a ride home and as we pulled up to my house he casually asked if I’d give him a blowjob? I was so stunned I said incredulously “what?” and he repeated it! I replied “fuck off! How about I call your wife instead?” The worst part was the guilt I felt because I adored his wife.
See, my grandma has a cousin who would visit and stay with us every year. I never liked being around him, he gave weird vibes and always made comments about my ‘lovely body’. One time he was trying to give me some money because he was leaving, but I refused it. That’s when I felt his hands grazing my breasts. I took a step back, tried to process the moment and just left the house and never returned until he left. I never said anything because I didnt know if it was an accident or on purpose, but I realize now that maybe that’s how many women must feel the first time they’re assaulted or such.
I had a part time job in high school at a fast food restaurant. On my 17th birthday, the manager picked me up, flipped me upside down, held me down and spanked me. He was over a foot taller & outweighed me by a good 150 lbs. I fought like hell and screamed until a friend came running & made him put me down. When I yelled at him, he told me I needed to put a d!ck in my mouth & shut up. I was crying & completely humiliated. I walked out. The next day I got that SOB fired. It makes me shaky and sick to talk about it even now, almost 30 years later. I have zero tolerance for people who exploit positions of power/influence and sincerelyhope that my outspoken, confident teenage daughter throat-punches anyone who tries crap like that on her.