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In regards to the rape crisis centre, we have to ask whether it’s normative for a promiscuous woman (in the UK, in that era) to use those services to screen for STDs. That center would do free screenings, right? If this is the same woman as in the texts about sex without a condom, it seems the contention was that he did not use a condom when she requested he do so (like in the previous time they had sex). Which is bad! But probably not what the reader has in mind when they hear about forceful rape. At least, I think rape conjures up something much more significant than taking a condom off with a woman you recently had consensual sex with on a different occasion.
I'd suggest reading the archived article. That particular accusation ('Nadia') happened in LA, not the UK, and the various corroborating elements (the records from the centre, the evidence she provided to the police, records from her therapy at the centre afterwards, the text messages between her and Brand) suggest that her version of the story is correct, although I admit that the text messages could support either the 'he raped her against the wall' version or the 'he took off the condom without her knowing' version.
As an aside, STD testing is freely available in the UK from the NHS. You can get test kits sent to your house or visit a sexual health clinic (which are very common, the medium-sized town I grew up in had one). Going to a rape crisis centre would be a very unusual way to get an STD test.
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It does count as rape according to UK law though, and a quick google tells me that in 2019 a man was sentenced to 12 years for doing it.
So it may not be rape rape (to paraphrase Whoopi Goldberg), but that will be cold comfort for Brand if the claim can be proven in court.
EDIT: Never mind, just saw that the act occurred in LA, not the UK. Stealthing is not a criminal act there.
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