Evan Rachel Wood accuses Marilyn Manson of abuse:
US actress Evan Rachel Wood has claimed singer Marilyn Manson “horrifically abused” her during their three-year relationship in the late noughties.
Manson and Wood began dating in 2007 and got engaged in 2010, but broke up later that year.
Wood has previously said that she is a survivor of rape and domestic abuse although she has never named the person accused.
Marilyn Manson has not yet responded to the BBC’s request for comment.
The thing about abusers is this: They don’t stop at one person. That’s because their abuse is not about one person; it’s about who they are. So there will absolutely be a trail of tears, victims who have experienced the same or similar thing.
There have been enough instances of false accusation—by one estimate about 70% of abuse allegations in divorce cases are false, for example—that one needs to move carefully before making a judgment. “Always believe the victim” is not a sound slogan or strategy if we’re trying to get at the truth. But as I say when abuse is real there will always be more than one. There was with Cosby, with Spacey, with Weinstein, etc.
The truth is easy to come by here for the same reason. Not only is Wood credible, but also, true to form, Manson has a history of abuse. Wood’s courage—and there’s a lesson there as well—has prompted the same in others:
Several other women came forward via social media platforms on Monday to make similar statements accusing Manson of abuse.
What are the allegations?
- Ashley Walters says she worked for Manson full-time as a personal assistant. She claims that he “frequently became violent” and would throw glass plates and heavy objects. She alleges Manson offered her up for sexual encounters with collaborators and continued to harass her after their professional relationship ended. She says she now struggles with PTSD and depression.
- Gabriella, also known as the artist SourGirrrl, alleges Manson repeatedly tied her up and raped her. She claims that he forced her to take drugs with him and demanded she make a “blood pact” with him by cutting both their hands with broken glass. She says she spent one Christmas in hospital after trying to commit suicide, and since breaking up with him has has been diagnosed with PTSD and still suffers nightmares.
- Sarah McNeilly claims that she was thrown against the wall and Manson “threatened to bash my face in with a baseball bat”. She alleges she was locked in rooms when she was “bad”, “verbally berated for hours” and made to feel worthless. She says she now suffers from PTSD and mental health issues.
- Ashley Lindsay Morgan alleges she “wasn’t allowed to eat, or sleep, or leave” Manson’s house. She claims Manson cut and burned her and asked her to bring him Nazi memorabilia. She says she has been left with PTSD, anxiety and night terrors.
A guitar technician who toured with Manson, Dan Cleary, has previously said on Twitter that Manson turned Wood “into a different person” while on tour, adding: “He broke her.”
A person will be known for who he or she is. Personality and character will out themselves over time. If I am a liar, I may deceive you into believing me honest for a short time. In the long run, however, you will know me by my untruths (as well as my assumption that most people are liars as well—we project ourselves onto others). In the case of Manson, I dare say we know exactly who he is.