Janel Grant Exposes Ongoing Fear in WWE Workplace

Janel Grant attended her initial public event during a meeting organized by the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence on Thursday, speaking to a group that included survivors, lawmakers, and supporters.

Grant initiated a legal action in civil courtsuing Vince McMahon, WWE, and initially John Laurinaitis in January 2024, claiming that while she was employed by the company, she was sexually exploited and mistreated by those in authority.

McMahon claims there is no misconduct, and has consistently stated that any sexual relationship was voluntary. Additionally, he argues that Grant has violated a confidentiality agreement and wants to enforce private arbitration as outlined in the contract.

At the briefing, Grant discussed that agreement and the implications of its terms for her when her story was made public without her permission.

I really shouldn't be here," she began. "Through a series of miracles I can't explain, I'm still alive today. On June 15, 2022, my life was transformed into another person's narrative, and I was publicly exposed in the Wall Street Journal.

She added, "I received a call that caught me off guard on the day of a significant meeting for a new job I had... It mentioned that the Wall Street Journal was about to publish something about me, Vince McMahon, and a confidentiality agreement. I was instructed that if anyone asked me about it, I couldn't respond, couldn't admit anything, couldn't say, 'I'm not fine.' And if someone came to me, I couldn't reveal the years of my life to people who only witnessed it from the outside."

Read more: Previous WWE Writer Tells Shocking Tale About Vince McMahon and Ashley Massaro

Janel Grant on the effects of NDAs on mental well-being

Grant explained that she lost consciousness after the call, describing it as feeling like "someone set fire to my home on purpose while I was still inside," and she tried to take her own life.

I found myself in a closet with a belt and a stool positioned beneath a metal rod, and thank goodness someone noticed me and intervened. However, this is the life-altering effect and mental health consequences of this specific NDA.

She subsequently elaborated on the unjust power dynamic of NDAs, such as the one between her and McMahon, stating that workplace safety relies on transparency to reveal instances of misconduct.

"If patterns remain invisible, they cannot be halted. When they go unchecked, damage spreads. Using an NDA to hide actions merely shifts the harm to the next employee, the next office, the next person affected. No one should have to give up their silence in exchange for accountability," she stated.

Building upon the deal between her and McMahon, she referred to it as a way to escape the hamster wheel and a warning about what to avoid in an NDA. She mentioned five "paths of traffic" related to this single agreement, including the SEC, DOJ, and private inquiries.

"This non-disclosure agreement served as a means for Vince to rationalize any action while I stayed within a framework of exploitation. In fact, it placed me in a situation where anyone could take advantage of me," she stated.

Grant speaking for WWE

Grant then stated that in June 2022, the company contacted her and asked her to issue a joint statement with McMahon about their consensual relationship, implying additional financial incentives were available if she agreed. However, she declined, only to later discover that a company representative had released the statement on her behalf.

"Excluding one half of an involved party in such a decision does not constitute consent," she stated regarding the choice. She also mentioned that she spent six figures to take part in the company's private investigation, after being informed that her involvement would not be seen as a violation of the NDA.

She mentioned that she was reached out to during that period concerning the federal inquiry, and after submitting evidence for review, she was told there was now an undercover investigation into human trafficking and illegal activities involving McMahon and WWE.

"If you're wondering why my case, my federal civil lawsuit, doesn't fall under employment law, it's because the government asked me to remain silent, keeping this matter confidential so they could carry out their investigation into human trafficking and criminal wrongdoing," she mentioned.

However, she mentioned that during her preparation to take part, the company's investigation had already been concluded without her being consulted. She noted that three years and five law firms had still not determined where and when she violated the NDA up to that point. Additionally, she felt she was being penalized for assisting with the federal investigations.

In March 2023, she mentioned that the SEC had given her whistleblower status, and the FBI began sending her messages suggesting she was considered a possible victim – letters she claimed she kept receiving for two and a half years.

Grant's message to TKO

Grant stated that when she chose to file her lawsuit in January 2024, it was at the "very last possible moment" since she understood the implications. However, she felt as if she had been pulled into federal investigations due to the NDA.

"All the events that have made my life feel tiny and cut off. I didn't bring this on. It's as if it came to me," she said, then went on to describe two acts since the lawsuit aimed to embarrass her.

Initially, during this federal inquiry, a 'love letter' was allegedly discovered on a company laptop and featured in the New York Post... This constituted a public shaming and threat towards an individual who receives letters from the FBI referring to them as a victim, and it also represents witness intimidation, discouraging others from communicating with or even associating with me due to concerns for their safety and that of their families.

Then she presented a plotline that had been observed to have strong similarities to Grant's claims, which, although she did not explicitly mention, marked the start of Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio's in-ring partnership.

"Does it seem like we are working in a safe environment? When the destination point, if you get hurt, is the exploitation of your experience on live television every Monday night for months. By their actions and reactions, it reveals much more about the current leadership than it does about me," she said.

She repeatedly mentioned in her speech that there were still workers "living and working in fear" at a headquarters located in Connecticut, hinting at WWE's headquarters. She also spoke to the TKO board, issuing a call to action.

To the TKO board, if you weren't aware of this part of your history, you are now informed. I hope you engage in discussions with us. I hope you have conversations among yourselves, and I hope you don't fall back on old habits with new understanding... Leadership involves entering the unknown, listening, and talking about difficult topics. Be ready to take the initial steps.

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.