health
March 12, 2026
'I said no, then I just gave up': Brooke Nevils on her sexual assault claims about one of TV’s biggest stars
The former NBC producer says she was repeatedly assaulted by Matt Lauer, an anchor at the network – then spent years blaming herself in the aftermath. She talks about power, preconceptions and life after #MeToo
TL;DR
- Brooke Nevils alleges sexual assault by former NBC anchor Matt Lauer during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and later in New York.
- Lauer has consistently denied the allegations, characterizing them as an 'extramarital affair' with false details.
- Nevils' book, 'Unspeakable Things,' examines the difficulties in defining consent, the impact of power imbalances, and victim self-protection mechanisms.
- The author discusses how societal perceptions and media portrayals of sexual assault create stereotypes that complicate understanding victim responses.
- Nevils highlights counterintuitive victim behaviors like freezing, acquiescing, or maintaining friendly communication post-assault as survival or self-protection strategies.
- She recounts her own struggles with self-blame and confusion in the aftermath of the alleged assaults, influenced by her desire to keep her job and the ambiguity of the situations.
- The #MeToo movement in 2017 prompted Nevils to re-evaluate her experiences and realize that her reactions were similar to other victims.
- Nevils filed a complaint with NBC, leading to Lauer's termination, and later spoke to Ronan Farrow for his book, 'Catch and Kill.'
- She emphasizes the importance of asking difficult questions about consent and power structures to foster better understanding and prevent repeated incidents.
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