Comedian Fred Dubey has been accused of sexual harassment

Writers Melody Drouin and Catherine Ethier accused comedian Fred Dubey of sexual harassment over the weekend.

On Saturday, Melody Drouin made her first public outing after publishing an article in “La Presse” regarding the Julien Lacroix affair.

“On June 21, 2017, in his Montreal apartment, I was assaulted by the comedian Fred Dubé,” she wrote soon after, adding that she had a meeting with an activist from the Centers d’AIDS aux Sexual Assaults (CALACS).

In the same message, published on Facebook, she indicated that the comedian and his spouse at the time, author and columnist Catherine Ethier, had taken steps with the police to silence her, including receiving an official notice signed by the couple. .

Ms Ethier on Sunday denied any joint involvement in the affair. In a text she penned on social networks, she assured that Mr. Dubey would have taken his steps alone. “Fred Dubey went to the police station alone, went alone to give his statement, dealt with his problems alone”, she said.

In her publication, the author, who confirmed that she had been in a relationship with the comedian for four years, also admitted to being one of her victims. “During this relationship, Fred Dubey sexually assaulted me. He never hit me but threatened me physically. These people know when to stop punching. I experienced mental, verbal and sexual abuse. I do not count the insults he inflicted on me in the private and public sphere. Betrayals He once threatened to kill us both,” she said.

The comedian had also “been unfaithful to him on several occasions, including in one episode [Mme Drouin]”. “A few months after this person wrote to inform me that I was a cuckoo, information about sexual harassment reached my ears when she wrote to Fred Dubey’s various employers and friends to warn them that they were shouldering the bully. At that time, I left Fred Dubey. I didn’t cut off all contact with him because toxic relationships are complicated. But I have severed ties,” the writer added in his message.

“I heard Mrs. Ethier. I have nothing to add except that I believe her. My word belongs to me. His belongs to him,” replied Melody Drouin in a second post published on her Facebook account on Sunday.

Ms. Drouin also insisted on Saturday that if Mr Dubey wanted to sue her for defamation “let him do so, without starting a real process of reflection and reparation, as he threatened her”. “I’m scared, not because I’m lying, but because storms are always scary. I’m still talking,” she wrote.

For his part, Fred Dubé indicated in a message, which he posted on Facebook before retracting it, that he was suing Ms. He stated that he had lodged a police complaint against Drouin twice.

He also indicated in this publication – in which he revealed several text messages sent by his victim – that in late 2020, he offered Ms. Drouin to mediate to resolve the story, which she declined.

In light of the denunciations against Fred Dubey, the board of directors of the citizen newspaper “Le Mouton Noire” to which the comedian contributed, decided to suspend Mr. Dubey until the situation could be brought to light. , president of the board of directors, on Facebook Sunday evening.

Catherine Ethier and Melody Drouin indicated they would not comment further on the case.