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Minnie Driver cuts ties with Oxfam over sex scandal
Hollywood actress says she’s ‘nothing short of horrified’ by the allegations, as major firms review their donations to the charity
The British actress Minnie Driver has stepped down from her role as an ambassador for Oxfam following a series of sexual misconduct allegations among staff at the charity.
Driver, 48, has been an Oxfam ambassador for more than 20 years and is the first celebrity to withdraw her support in the wake of the scandal, The Independent reports.
The actress said she was “nothing short of horrified” by the allegations against the charity, which include the handling of allegations that staff used prostitutes while delivering aid to the earthquake-hit Haiti in 2011.
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“In no uncertain terms do I plan to continue my support of this organisation or its leaders,” she told The Daily Telegraph in an interview. “And though it is unfortunate that after 20 years I am no longer able to advocate and defend through this specific framework, social and economic injustice is more globally prevalent than ever.”
The BBC reports that Oxfam said it was “grateful” for Driver’s commitment to their charity and “more committed now than ever to learn from [their] mistakes”.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is also reportedly considering whether to cut ties with the charity, as are corporate giants Marks and Spencer and Visa, the Daily Mail says.
More than 1,200 people have cancelled their monthly donations to Oxfam following the revelations, Metro online says.
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Meanwhile, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt says Oxfam failed to show “moral leadership” and failed to properly inform donors, regulators and prosecutors about the actions of its workers and repeated her threats to cut funds to charities who fall short of government standards.
