Vince McMahon's resignation from WWE came after Janel Grant, a former employee, filed an earth-shattering lawsuit with severe allegations of sexual abuse and much more. The pages of the document have been spread throughout the pro wrestling world, and beyond, at this point. Sadly, there could be others who have not stepped forward yet, but they allegedly want to.
On January 25, Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, WWE, and former executive John Laurinaitis, alleging sex trafficking, emotional abuse, and sexual assault. The lawsuit provides distressing accounts of Janel's experiences in terms of sexual, physical, mental, and emotional mistreatment.
Grant's lawyer, Ann Callis, spoke with Ashleigh Banfield on NewsNation. She provided additional remarks on the lawsuit. Banfield initiated the conversation by inquiring about the possibility of the case being a criminal matter and whether the statute of limitations had expired.
"I don't believe so, but I represent her in the civil matter and cannot really comment on any criminal matters right now," said Callis.
When she was questioned about how she felt the lawsuit was received following landmark social movements like Me Too and Speaking Out, Callis replied, "What happened to her was particularly egregious when it comes to the sexual slavery she endured, the devastating consequences physically and mentally when she was going through this, and still is suffering through this with PTSD. She had suicidal ideation. I was a criminal felony judge for nine years. The worst cases actually went to trial, and that is murders and sexual assaults. This is in its own class. This is in its own class of depravity that she had to endure."
When asked why Janel Grant decided to come forward, Callis said it was "a process." She called it was "an arduous, long, systematic drive to get the best complaint that we possibly could. That's when it fell to file." WWE is a multi-billion dollar corporation, "who turned a blind eye to what was happening there to Janel."
Vince McMahon is a multi-billionaire, and John Laurinaitis is a powerful person as well. While saying that the only had the facts as "a weapon," she was asked whether there are more who could come forward. Sadly, there are more who wish they could come forward.
This situation with Janel Grant is extremely troubling. She was left feeling "devastated, dehumanized, and discarded, and she is really a destroyed person physically and mentally."
Through her act of coming forward with this lawsuit, Grant has possibly opened the door for more to come forward who have experienced a similar atrocity against them.
"No more than the regular public about the NDAs that everyone has heard who has followed this story. She has no more knowledge than that. Our hope is, and her hope is, by coming out, by stepping forward, by bringing this complaint and putting her face to this complaint, that other victims of Vince McMahon and the WWE will end up becoming public, and she wants to help them find their voice and get justice. She thinks and hopes by doing this, she will."
In the written interview, Callis claimed that more people want to come forward, but they cannot. At this point, they are "frankly overwhelmed" as they begin the process of wading through the response.
"My office and my inbox have had a barrage of people wanting to come forward to attest about this culture of corruption and also possible victims. We are just beginning now to wade through all this, but we’re frankly overwhelmed."