Dame Jilly Cooper has recounted a terrifying past encounter with a fellow author where she feared he was attempting to sexually assault her.
The 87-year-old author has enjoyed a prolific career writing romantic novels - and has been publishing work since 1975. In a new interview, the writer has candidly revealed a horrific moment from her 20s when she was cornered by a man who she says attempted to rape her in the back of a taxi.
Dame Jilly - whose 1988 book, Rivals, will soon be seen on screens in a new Disney+ adaptation starring David Tennant, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer - says that her attacker was a male author that moved in the same circles as her during her early career. A further disappointing aspect of the incident, the novelist says that the matter was swept under the carpet when she tearfully described what had happened at the time.
Dame Jilly’s account comes at a time when the Me Too Movement has suffered a major setback as one of the most prolific sexual predators jailed in the wake of the movement gaining momentum seven years again has won an appeal against some of his convictions. The author thinks that the movement has been ‘good’ for society after women around the world stood together to attempt to stop abusers getting away with crimes.
Reflecting on her own past traumatic incident, Dame Jilly opened up to The Telegraph and told the paper: “It is seriously awful for women – terrifying – to be jumped on by a man.”
Sharing more details of the incident, she continued: “I was taken out to lunch by a man and on the way back in a cab he jumped on me and pulled my clothes apart. It was awful. I was terrified. When I got back to the office I was in floods of tears and told my manager that someone had just tried to rape me.”
She then revealed: “But then, when I told him the man’s name and he realised it was one of our authors… I was ushered out of that office in two seconds. So yes, I think [MeToo] has been good in many respects.”
The phrase ‘Me Too’ has been in the social media lexicon for almost two decades - having first been used to signify being a sexual assault survivor by activist Tarana Burke in 2006. This then spawned a hashtag which widely used from 2017 as more survivors stepped forward to show compassion and support for others.
After accusations were made against film producer Harvey Weinstein by a string of actresses, the Me Too Movement was regarded as instrumental in toppling the disgraced mogul. However, a bombshell ruling this week has overturned rape convictions that the businessman had been jailed for - leading many to speculate he could now see his prison sentence greatly reduced.
Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being found guilty of rape in the third degree and a criminal sexual act - but the conviction was overturned on appeal on Thursday. He has also been found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault in the state of California and was sentenced to 16 years behind bars - however he is also appealing this conviction too.
If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999