Marilyn Manson has issued his first public comments in response to allegations of abuse levied against him by five women, including actress Evan Rachel Wood.
In a statement posted to Instagram on Monday evening, Manson called the allegations “horrible distortions of reality.”
“Obviously, my life and my art have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality,” Manson wrote. “My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how — and why — others are now choosing to misrepresent the past, that is the truth.”
Earlier Monday, Wood and four other women accused Manson of sexual assault, psychological abuse, and coercion. “The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,” Wood wrote in an Instagram post. “He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years. I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail. I am here to expose this dangerous man and call out the many industries that have enabled him, before he ruins any more lives. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent.”
In light of the allegations, Manson has been dropped by his record label.
