Scandal at British VIP event causes uproar

Hostesses say they were groped at charity dinner

LONDON – Many Britons reacted with outrage Wednesday after a news report said female workers were groped at a men-only charity dinner attended by hundreds of senior figures from the business, entertainment and political worlds.

Hostesses hired to work at the Presidents Club Charity Dinner were told to wear skimpy black outfits, black underwear and “sexy” high heels, The Financial Times reported. Many of the 130 hostesses, who had to be “tall, thin and pretty,” according to the hiring brief, were groped, sexually harassed and propositioned at an after-party, the newspaper said.

The FT sent two reporters to work undercover as hostesses at Thursday’s event attended by 360 guests in the ballroom of the luxury Dorchester Hotel in central London.

The event was hosted by British comedian David Walliams and raised more than $2.8 million for charity.

“I did not witness any of the kind of behaviour that allegedly occurred and am absolutely appalled by the reports,” Walliams tweeted Wednesday.

Sophie Walker, leader of the Women’s Equality party, said, “Men from across political, business and entertainment worlds are implicated in this grotesque circus of sleazy rich men pawing at young women.”

“More than 300 rich businessmen were perfectly happy to attend such an event, which shows the rotten, sexist culture still alive and kicking in parts of the business community,” tweeted Jo Swinson, deputy leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats party.