Tijen Onaran discusses sexual misconduct.
"The Cave of Lions" featured entrepreneur Susana Gomez showcasing her emergency-activated bracelet. Though she left the show without a deal, she inspired Tijen Onaran to share her courageous story. As an investor, Onaran could have benefited from this life-saving device herself.
During "Die Höhle der Löwen" on Monday night, Onaran revealed that she had been sexually harassed in Munich's English Garden early in 2023 as she walked her dogs. The traumatic event left a lasting impact on her, as the 39-year-old shared: "I still feel helpless."
In an interview with Bild newspaper, Onaran elaborated on the incident. When a stranger approached her, he complimented her appearance and suggested they sleep together. Despite making it clear she wasn't interested, the man wouldn't let up. Eventually, he came so close that Onaran started running with her dogs.
"I went to a crowded area in the English Garden. Other people assisted me in chasing the man away," Onaran said. "If I'd been alone, I wouldn't have known what to do next," she added.
Onaran "frozen"
"I couldn't scream, and I couldn't react. It's worth noting: I practiced taekwondo for a long time and have a blue-red belt," says the "lioness" on the situation she felt "frozen" in.
Onaran admits that she regrets not reporting the instance to the police then. However, she was overwhelmed by the event. "As a woman, you just feel frail and defenseless," states Onaran. She still avoids the spot in the English Garden where she was harassed.
It was Gomez's appearance on "Die Höhle der Löwen" that inspired Onaran to share her disturbing experience. Gomez demonstrated her "LÆMON" jewelry bracelet, which has a double alarm function for emergencies. When activated, it emits a loud noise and sends a message to an assigned emergency contact, including their location.
"Such a bracelet would have been a big help for me back then," Onaran said on the show, acknowledging that she didn't secure a deal. The reason? Gomez was requesting 500,000 euros in exchange, but only a 10% stake in her company. None of the lions were interested in such a high valuation.
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After sharing her harrowing experience on "Die Höhle der Löwen", Onaran expressed her interest in products like Gomez's emergency bracelet, stating, "Such a bracelet would have been a big help for me back then." During a TV interview, Onaran highlighted the importance of addressing sexual harassment in the workplace, remarking, "The entertainment industry needs to take sexual misconduct seriously and hold perpetrators accountable." Later, in an effort to support start-ups tackling this issue, RTL announced its intention to invest in companies combating sexual harassment, aligning itself with the #MeToo movement.
Source: www.ntv.de
