The President's Club Annual Gala - "Men Behaving Badly"

I wonder what the "guests" were told to expect. Don't any of them have daughters?
I do feel sad that the donations were given back though. That seems to be punishing the children in G. O Hospital. and others who need help.

Wear black underwear heels skimpy dress, hand over phone, sign disclaimer, be discreet, men only. Are we really supposed to believe they didn't know what to expect ?!

Quite agree, it was typical men being silly schoolboys night and most would know what to expect when they had downed a few drinks.
It sounds a bit like a carry on film.

Very mixed feelings about this. There are very fine lines. Men only event, serving alcohol, staffed by pretty young girl in skimpy outfits. You'd have to be very naive not to expect it to be a bit bawdy. The girls could have walked away. That doesn't mean it's okay for men to paw the girls or be offensive. It's absolutely not. But one girl was offered a man's hotel room key and she turned it down. She said that was it, and she didn't feel threatened or upset. It may be in bad taste, but not something to get up in arms about. I suspect majority of men were fine and that just a few crossed the line. And that's a shame if it means that future events which raise so much money are cancelled.

This type of event is a thing of the past, it's long overdue in the current climate. But to my mind it is just a graphic illustration of how far women have to go. Men hold the balance of power and the cash and no one ever gives that up without a struggle.

I can't believe any of the women who were (as Hattiehelga says) asked to wear black underwear, skimpy clothes and high heels were not aware of what that whole "men only night" was about. After all it has been running for over 30 years.

I would still like to know how many of the charities set to benefit had tables/seats at the event.

No excuse for the awful behaviour from the men but the clues were all there dress code tall and pretty they must have known it wouldn't exactly be afternoon tea I would like to think young women had a bit more about themselves and were not this naive

I wonder how many of the men would have felt it they discovered their daughter or grand-daughter at the event- in those outfits and being groped by old men (not that it is any better if young men I suppose).

But yes, of course, those young women should have realised - although it seems the agency clearly told them not to be concerned at all.

I was a majorette in my young days- we showed a lot of leg for sure, but never ever experienced anything 'sleezy' apart from a bit of oggling.

I have no problem with all men or all women events, I just have a problem with the treatment of the people serving them when the drinks begin to flow. This could have easily been a report from one of the "Hen Night" Events that go on up and down the country. I know 2 boys aged 16 who are employed at such events and they absolutely hate the fact that they are subjected to "touching" from women who are in their cups...particularly the older ones.
I have an amazing husband in many respects but when he's been drinking, he gets more touchy, feely with the women he is talking to. He doesn't even seem to realise he does it but I make sure he knows! We used to argue about it when we were first together but, whilst it may not be pleasant for his victim, it isn't something he would do when sober. So, from where I am sitting, I think alcohol is the big problem!

If a job stipulates what underwear you have to use surely you can’t then be shocked the behaviour of the clientele? Anyone with half a brain would know what to expect and if they had an issue with it (which you would hope most intelligent women would in this day and age) then they would be at liberty to walk away and find alternative employment

There were two auction prizes, one for lunch with Boris Johnson, and one for tea with Martin Carney, head of the Bank of England. He was on the radio this morning saying he had no idea about it at the time, but a bit of investigating showed that something like it had been offered to a totally different charity months ago and never taken up.
So while I don't usually believe anything BJ says, I am inclined to think he didn't know either. So this whole charity do was a bit of a con all round.

A load of hysteria leading from the 'me too' publicity . I do not believe as some do the girls were so naive they didn't think a men only event where black underwear and heels was required was anythung to question. And not all men are groppers , not all women are naive innocents.

I agree Anniebach and with icanhandthemback I have heard similar stories about hen parties. Let's keep things in perspective.

I'm sorry but if you are told to wear sexy shoes and black underwear, you are perfectly well aware of rhe sortof thing that is going to be expected of you, even if you are unaware of the extent. If you choose to go ahead, that is your choice. And frankly, knowing it will be a 'men only' affair, who DOESN'T know what the atmosphere is going to be like? REALLY??

And i agree with others, an all-female event can be just as rowdy, so i'm not just a man-hater!!!

I admit that I haven’t read the articles about this and have only heard snippets on the news, but what is puzzling me is why, if the event has been held annually for so long, has nothing been said before now?

Same old story. Rich white males thinking they can do what they want. Time's up.

Where is it stated that all the males were white? Surely we don't need to drag racism into this?

Same old attack , rich!

are men who are not wealthy above gropping, winking, wolf whistling , eyeing up females ?

the point is though grumpa - is the fact that race and religion were certainly dragged into recent abuse and rape scandals.

do you think the young women in Bradford were innocent and naïve? (I know it was a very different situation but ... ).

I agree that it's sickening and there are obvious reasons why young women are used. The clearest is that youngsters are good looking and the second is that they are more malleable, thirdly they are poor and need the money which encourages them to put aside their misgivings.
The Club sounds a bloody disgrace. I'm not a man-hater but I hate men who behave like this and a kick up the you know where is the least they deserve.

Sorry to any I offend.
It’s inexcusable and yes, it does go on with young men waiters at hen nights which is equally wrong.
Here, the men were in the wrong, the agency was in the wrong and any woman who has attended events like this before and experienced what went on without saying anything before is in the wrong.
If they weren’t allowed to read the disclaimer but it presumably said you weren’t allowed to talk about anything that you saw/ heard at the event I wonder how the undercover person got away without being sued.
The worst outcome is the loss of charity revenue.

The best outcomes are that the club is disbanded and that any other such public events may not take place. Also, that more naive/innocent young women are made aware of what might happen if they choose to attend such an event. If you turn up at the door with your own contract saying that any unacceptable behaviour will be fed straight to the press, you probably wouldn’t be allowed in - and then you could go to the press anyway.
This shouldn’t have been allowed, but women (and men in a similar situation) have to be more proactive in not letting it happen.

Whilst at school my daughter had a p/t job waitressing at a chain restaurant. She only stayed 3 weeks as she was subject to lewd remarks from middle aged men, who also tried to look down her blouse and touch her bum. When she complained to management they laughed and said she should expect it, and that the men were regulars so don't make a fuss! She was 15.

I don't think GOSH should hand the money back. Why should the children lose out and some of the men who donated would have done so for all the right reasons.

It's OTT calling it 'dirty money'