The Star had several detailed interviews with each of the three women, who said they experienced violence from Ghomeshi without consent, and with the former CBC employee, who complained of verbal and physical harassment in the workplace.
The women now accusing Jian Ghomeshi of violence began as his fans. Two had very similar early experiences with him. After Ghomeshi met them at public events, which he had promoted on CBC Radio, he contacted them through Facebook and asked them on dates. They eagerly accepted.
Each woman said she remembers Ghomeshi being initially sweet and flattering, then later suggesting or hinting at violent sex acts. When they failed to respond or expressed displeasure, they recalled Ghomeshi dismissing his remarks as just fantasies, reassuring them he wouldnt ask them to do anything they werent comfortable with. The women deny that safe words were employed in the relationship.
In one womans case, she visited Ghomeshi at his Toronto home and alleges as soon as she walked into his house he suddenly struck her hard with his open hand, then continued to hit her and choked her. The woman alleges Ghomeshi repeatedly beat her about the head and choked her.
The Stars interviews of the women were lengthy. The women, all educated and employed, said Ghomeshis actions shocked them.
Another woman, who described a similar alleged attack, said that in the lead-up to their date Ghomeshi warned me he would be aggressive.
I thought this meant he would want to pull my hair and have rough sex. He reassured me that I wouldnt be forced. (Later) he attacked me. Choked me. Hit me like I didnt know men hit women. I submitted.
None of the women has contacted police. When asked why by the Star, the women cited several reasons including fears that a police report would expose their names and worries that their consent or acceptance of fantasy role-play discussions in text or other messages with Ghomeshi would be used against them as evidence of consent to actual violence.
Only one of the alleged victims worked at the CBC. She never dated Ghomeshi. She alleges he approached her from behind and cupped her rear end in the Q studio, and that he quietly told her at a story meeting that he wanted to hate f--- her.
The woman said she complained about Ghomeshis behaviour to her union representative, who took the complaint to a Q producer. As the woman recalls, the producer asked her what she could do to make this a less toxic workplace for herself. No further action was taken by the CBC, and the woman left the broadcaster shortly thereafter.
