Former NBC Staffer's Allegations Re-Examined
Former NBC talent assistant Brooke Nevils has publicly alleged that former Today show anchor Matt Lauer sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions. Lauer has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining that any sexual encounters were consensual.
The allegations first surfaced in 2017, leading to Lauer's termination from NBC for violating company policy. Nevils has since published a memoir, Unspeakable Things: Silence, Shame, and the Stories We Choose to Believe, and provided a televised interview detailing her account.
Timeline of Alleged Events
Nevils alleges the first incident occurred in 2014 during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
She states that after consuming vodka shots ordered by Lauer in a group setting with colleagues including Meredith Vieira, Lauer invited her to his hotel room. Nevils alleges Lauer anally raped her during this encounter.
Following the Sochi incident, Nevils states she received an email from Lauer and responded in a friendly manner. She later described this as an attempt to de-escalate the situation. Lauer subsequently invited her to his New York apartment. Nevils alleges that upon her arrival, Lauer initiated a sexual encounter during which he made a statement implying knowledge of the previous bleeding from Sochi.
Nevils reports four additional instances of alleged "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace" with Lauer in subsequent months. She states that she continued to interact with Lauer in professional settings, describing him as charming in group settings. She initially framed the experiences to close friends and family as an "affair" or her own fault.
Reporting and Aftermath
In October 2017, amidst the emerging #MeToo movement and reports that journalists were investigating Lauer, Nevils reported her experiences to NBC. She stated that she considered this an act of loyalty to the company despite fearing professional repercussions.
The day after Nevils filed her complaint, NBC questioned and subsequently terminated Lauer. Other allegations against Lauer surfaced publicly shortly thereafter. Nevils reported experiencing personal distress, job loss, and mental health struggles following her complaint.
Conflicting Accounts
Matt Lauer has consistently asserted that all encounters with Nevils were consensual. In a statement read during Nevils' television interview, Lauer's representatives claimed Nevils was "a fully enthusiastic and willing partner." Lauer has not been charged with or convicted of any crime related to these allegations.
Psychological Context Presented
Nevils' book includes interviews with psychologists Kimberly Lonsway, Barbara Ziv, and Veronique Valliere. They explained that victim responses often considered "counterintuitive," such as not immediately reporting or resisting, are common in sexual assault cases. Reasons cited include confusion, desire to return to normalcy, and fear of unknown consequences of reporting.
Nevils' Stated Rationale
"Individuals in positions of power have a responsibility to consider whether less powerful individuals feel able to decline requests without penalty."
Nevils stated her goal in publishing the book is to discuss how power dynamics affect consent. She argues that individuals in positions of power have a responsibility to consider whether less powerful individuals feel able to decline requests without penalty. Nevils noted she rarely uses the word "rape" in her account, explaining that public associations with the term often involve stranger scenarios, which she states does not align with the reality of many sexual assaults involving known individuals.