Strictly Come Dancing isn’t the problem – men are

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. After professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima were alleged to have mistreated celebrity partners during training, a third Strictly pro – who is no longer part of the show – has been named as “a person of interest” in the BBC investigation. I always remember one much more senior woman telling me that I should never report men’s behaviour, because women will always come off the worst. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when I read McDermott’s statement, posted to her Instagram Stories yesterday: “I have wrestled with the fear of opening up – I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming.” But after a lot of conversations with those I love, I’ve gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show.” I hate to say it, but she was right to be scared. “Regretting events” isn’t exactly admitting to the alleged abuse, but “intense passion” always seems to be a red flag when said in response to such allegations.