Lauren Southern, a conservative commentator, has made a serious accusation against influencer Andrew Tate, claiming he raped and strangled her when she was heavily intoxicated during a trip to Romania in February 2018. The allegations have surfaced through Southern's memoir, "This Is Not Real Life," where she provides a harrowing account of the encounter.
Southern, who was 30 at the time of the incident, is known for her provocative online activism, particularly on immigration and feminism. She was in Romania with British political activist Tommy Robinson and a video production team to meet cryptocurrency investors. It was during this business trip that she met Tate, a former kickboxer who has since become a controversial men's rights figure.
As of now, Tate, aged 38, is under house arrest, facing legal challenges including charges of rape and human trafficking in Romania and the United Kingdom. Southern's narrative recounts an evening where, after an unproductive business meeting at Tate's Bucharest compound, she was invited back alone. Her memoir describes how Tate took her to a club, plied her with drinks, and how she ended up extremely intoxicated, recalling being semi-conscious, vomiting, and being carried out by Tate to a hotel.
Southern writes that although she initially reciprocated a kiss from Tate, she wished to sleep due to her exhaustion and intoxication. Despite her refusal to engage further, she alleges Tate became aggressive. "He put his arm around my neck and began strangling me unconscious," Southern penned, claiming she was repeatedly strangled each time she regained consciousness.
The next day, Southern asserts, Tate warned her against going public with the incident. She admits that her ideological stance against feminism and the idea of victimhood contributed to her silence at the time. Despite feeling partially at fault initially, Southern later recognized her lack of consent and the force she encountered.
The psychological aftermath was devastating, with Southern disclosing that she went through denial for years. However, she did report the incident to UK police and sought to report it in Canada and Romania, facing challenges with each attempt. Five years before Vice News' report on Tate's similar alleged behavior, Southern had documented symptoms consistent with asphyxiation at a women's hospital. She also mentions an apology Tate later offered, which she found unsatisfactory.
The situation grew more frustrating for Southern as she observed conservative media's continued elevation of Tate, despite these allegations and his ongoing legal troubles. She notes that at the time of her writing, he was still under house arrest for alleged sex trafficking, including with a minor.
Southern has largely withdrawn from public life since 2019, recently revealing in a YouTube video her marriage to an Australian man and the birth of their son, though the relationship ended due to his security clearance issues tied to her.
