Yahoo Lifestyle 
Erin Molan opens up about 'humiliating' groping incident: 'Uncomfortable'
'It just makes me angry.'
Erin Molan opened up on her radio show Hughesy, Ed and Erin on Tuesday morning about the moment she was groped at Mosman pub, The Buena, while watching the AFL grand final on Saturday.
The presenter seemed uncomfortable chatting about the incident but explained the situation on-air, revealing the man who groped her actually knew her partner, Todd, and had been hanging out with the pair that afternoon.
"I was just there with my partner, and he knew the guy actually, and they were having a chat and the guy was actually quite nice," she said.
She explained that there were a couple of times when Todd left the table where the man would "come in a little bit close", saying she felt "a little bit uncomfortable" by the interactions.
RELATED:
Erin Molan speaks out after sheer dress sparks fierce debate online
Erin Molan's on-air rant about engagement rings sparks controversy
"And then I got up at one stage, I walked over to the sports bar bit just to look at what time the NRL Grand Final was starting the next day, because Todd and I were talking about what we're going to do," Erin said. "And he kind of came up behind me and was very close, standing very close and talking and then yeah, just grabbed me on the bottom."
"I kind of felt like I was a little bit in shock at the time and not really understanding what had just happened, and I didn't even react then, which I think back should I have reacted or said something or you know, I think a lot of women can relate, sometimes you actually don't know what to do, and you know, I'm a fairly strong person, I stand up for things and fight for things, but I think I was just so shocked.
"And not because it had happened, because it's happened to me before, it's actually quite normal, which is awful if you're a woman going out or doing things but it had just been a fairly long time."
When Erin returned to her table, her partner could sense something was wrong and pushed for her to tell him. She tried to say she'd tell him later, but he continued asking what had happened.
"And I said, 'Nothing,' see this is the thing as well, is that my immediate thought is, 'I don't want to cause trouble, I don't want to make a scene, I don't want there to be drama, I don't want to get him in trouble,' and it's so utterly ridiculous," she said.
When Erin told Todd what happened, someone told the man what she said had happened, with Erin explaining, "He came back over, and it was interesting, because he didn't even look at me, he didn't try and deny it, he was just looking at my partner and he just kept saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' which I thought was bizarre. And then my partner got pretty angry –"
"There was a scuffle?" Hughesy asked.
"Yeah, look, a confrontation, I guess, and I kind of got in the middle and just grabbed Todd and said, 'It's not worth it, let's go,' and then they kicked him out," she said.
'Makes me angry'
Erin said she'd been going over in her mind, thinking about what she had done that would make him think it was OK.
"I'm not traumatised by it," the presenter added. "I'm pretty robust and battle-hardened, I reckon, in a lot of spaces, but I'm also really conscious that just because I'm not [traumatised] doesn't mean that someone else in that position would be, and it doesn't say to men that it's OK because it's not. I kept thinking, like, what had I done? And this is the issue we have with so much of this stuff, and as a woman, we then start to question ourselves.
"I'm thinking, 'Oh, we've been to the beach and I'm wearing swimmers and a crochet dress, like what had I given off in any interaction with him, while I'm sitting there with my partner that he would have thought in his mind that I would have been someone that was comfortable or OK with him doing that in a public place, when I've got a partner and I've never met him before – grabbing me, and not just touching, but almost clawing back there in a very private place."
"I'm completely fine, but it just makes me angry," Erin said.
The man was banned by the pub for six months, with the host adding that she would not be taking the matter further when asked by Hughesy.
"No... I find it quite humiliating," Erin said of the fact the story ended up in a major newspaper over the weekend. "I was happy with the outcome at the pub and that they banned him and I'd just rather leave it there."
'Zero-tolerance'
Mitch Wood, General Manager of The Buena in Mosman, told The Daily Telegraph the pub has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment.
"We were very concerned upon learning of the incident, and acted swiftly as soon as we became aware of what happened, barring the individual from the premises for six months," he told the publication.
"This is obviously a very unusual incident for us here at the Buena, and the welfare of our customers and staff is always of the utmost importance. We have stringent policies in place with regards to sexual harassment, and these are aimed to ensure all patrons and staff feel safe and welcome in all our venues."
If you or someone you know is suffering from sexual or domestic abuse, don’t suffer in silence, call 1800RESPECT for assistance.
Never miss a thing. Sign up to Yahoo Lifestyle’s daily newsletter.
Or if you have a story idea, email us at lifestyle.tips@yahooinc.com.
