YouTuber Andrew Callaghan Is Awash In Sexual Misconduct Allegations
While Callaghan says he has "always taken no for an answer", alleged victims are claiming the opposite.
— Content warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault and harassment. —
The YouTuber and journalist Andrew Callaghan has reportedly been accused by several women of sexual misconduct.
Days after releasing a documentary about the January 6 Capitol riots with HBO, alleged survivors came forward to accuse Callaghan of a pattern of predatory behaviour, ranging from wearing victims down with repeated demands for sex to recent allegations of stealthing – the act of surreptitiously removing a condom during sex.
In a YouTube video that he titled ‘In Response’, Callaghan offered his “complete sympathy, support and respect” to “anyone that [he’d] done wrong by” while asking fans of his reporting to remember his mission statement of “radical empathy and media literacy”.
Announcing his plans to seek therapy and rehabilitation via Alcoholics Anonymous, Callaghan maintained he had “always taken no for an answer, as far as consent [goes]”. But the allegations would suggest otherwise.
Here Are The Allegations So Far
The first woman came forward via TikTok in early January, alleging Callaghan “wore [her] down” with repeated requests for sex. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Caroline Elise claimed in May 2021 Callaghan had asked to stay with her for the night after a falling out with his crew members. Arriving at Caroline’s home, Callaghan began repeatedly asking her for sex.
“He was very pushy and not taking no for an answer,” Caroline told Rolling Stone. “I was like, ‘No, I’m not feeling it.”
Caroline said she eventually relented after Callaghan’s persistent nagging, stating in a separate interview with The Stranger that she just wanted to “make the night end”.
“At the time, I thought my only option was to cave in to what he was repeatedly asking of me and ignoring all of my different versions of ‘no’… frozen in fear, I thought that was my only option.”
Following Caroline’s claims, several other alleged victims came forward on social media. One woman, Dana, who had previously had consensual sex with Callaghan, claimed that while in a car with the journalist, he began kissing and groping her without permission.
Refusing to leave the vehicle she was driving, Dana says she drove Callaghan home where she was later forced to physically kick him out of the car.
Another woman, Charlotte, told Rolling Stone that Callaghan had left her feeling “violated, confused, and incredibly disrespected” after growing bolder while the pair were consensually kissing in 2016.
After pouring wine on her chest and licking it off, an act Charlotte said she consented to but found “uncomfortable”, she said she wanted to stop after he placed his hand on her crotch.
“He wasn’t taking a simple no for an answer, and consequently, it turned into me trying to make up an array of excuses as to why I didn’t want to have sex,” Charlette told Rolling Stone.
Tim Heidecker Cuts Ties With More Claims Yet To Be Confirmed
In the weeks since the allegations against Callaghan became public, the official Reddit page for Callaghan’s YouTube account Channel Five has completely shifted in tone, with a popular post asking moderators to redirect links to Callaghan’s Patreon to organisations that support sexual assault survivors.
Another post compiling all allegations against Callaghan to date, including anonymous claims that the journalist nonconsensually removed his condom during sex, paints a harrowing picture of Callaghan’s supposed conduct during the years he was creating his groundbreaking investigation series.
Speaking on a podcast, two of Callaghan’s self-confessed “heroes” and producers behind his HBO documentary Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, known as the comedy duo ‘Tim and Eric’, have cut ties with the journalist.
“We have no professional relationship with Andrew at this time and have no plans going forward to have any relationship with him,” Heidecker said.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic, or family violence; please call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.