Key takeaways from the article include:

• Julie Stewart-Binks, a former Fox Sports reporter, accuses executive Charlie Dixon of sexual assault in a recently filed lawsuit.
• The lawsuit alleges the assault occurred in 2016 and describes a hostile work environment where Stewart-Binks faced retaliation.
• After reporting the incident internally, the lawsuit claims Fox Sports chose to protect Dixon rather than take action.
• Stewart-Binks is seeking unspecified damages and calling for increased measures to prevent sexual assault in the workplace.

Julie Stewart-Binks, a former reporter and anchor for Fox Sports, has filed a lawsuit against the network and top executive Charlie Dixon, alleging that he sexually assaulted her in 2016 after coaxing her to his hotel room under the pretext of discussing Super Bowl plans. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, states that Stewart-Binks was inspired to come forward following a similar complaint by a former hairstylist for Fox Sports, who detailed repeated unwanted sexual advances by a previous host and claimed that Dixon had groped her.

According to statements made to the Los Angeles Times, Andrew Fegyveresi, a Fox spokesperson, characterized the allegations as being over eight years old, claiming the network had previously conducted a third-party investigation at the time. However, he did not provide details on the outcome of that investigation.

The incident detailed in Stewart-Binks’ complaint unfolded after she received a text from Dixon inviting her to discuss plans for an upcoming show. Instead of a professional conversation, Dixon reportedly began berating her, stating she was not funny, interesting, or talented enough to appear on-air during the Super Bowl. Pressured by those comments, she reluctantly agreed to visit his hotel room to "see the view," where, according to her account, he then forced her against a wall and attempted to engage in unwanted sexual acts.

Stewart-Binks asserts that following this incident, her contract with Fox Sports was not renewed, and when she reported the assault to the network's Human Resources during an investigation into another executive's misconduct, it was ignored. Her lawsuit claims Fox intentionally chose to protect Dixon, allowing him to remain in his position of power rather than ensuring accountability for his actions.

In her lawsuit, Stewart-Binks seeks unspecified damages for emotional distress and calls for the company to enact measures to guarantee the safety of its employees against future sexual abuse. The lawsuit brings attention to the pervasive culture of harassment in the workplace, with Stewart-Binks hoping to promote necessary changes across sports networks.

Following her time at Fox Sports, Stewart-Binks has contributed to various media platforms, including ESPN, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, and TNT, and also served as a correspondent for the CBC in coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Stewart-Binks hopes that by taking her story public, it will encourage sports networks to address issues of abuse and complicity more seriously.

For further details, view the full article on AP News, HuffPost, and The Guardian.