Volunteer Writer, Leah Langley, discusses the recent abuse allegations made against Marilyn Manson
Trigger Warning: This article contains heavy themes surrounding abuse and sexual assault
On Monday 1st February 2021, the world was rocked, sadly, by more abuse allegations. This time the allegations were against Brian Warner; the infamous shock-rock anti-Christ superstar that is, Marilyn Manson.
The allegations first came to light from one of Manson’s former girlfriends, Evan Rachel Wood, who published a statement on Instagram reading:
“The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson. 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.”
Following the statement, several other women started to share their own experience of the abuse that they too had suffered at the hands of Manson. The accounts detailed upsetting experiences that included sexual assault, psychological abuse, and accounts of violence and intimidation. On February 6th, actor Corey Feldman sided with the women, stating that Manson had subjected him to decades of mental and emotional abuse. Manson was quick to post his own statement to his Instagram account in which he denied all of the allegations being made stating:
“Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality. 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.”
This is not the first time that Manson has faced headline news as, in the early 2000s, two male security guards filed lawsuits against him accusing him of sexual assault at his concerts. One of cases saw the charges dropped and the other save a private settlement being reached. Back in 2009, he was quoted as saying, “I have fantasies every day about sashing her skull in with a sledgehammer,” words that were said to be aimed at Wood. Last year the comment resurfaced and one of Manson’s representative noted that there was no fact to the quote, and it was clearly just theatrics. In 2018, following the sweep of the #MeToo movement, a police report was filed against Manson for unspecified sex crimes that were said to have taken place in 2011. However, these were dismissed in August 2018 when the Los Angeles District’s Attorney Office said there was a lack of corroborating evidence.
The allegations have seen Manson dropped from his record label, Loma Vista, as well as being cut from AMC’s horror anthology, ‘Creepshow’. More fallout is to be expected, however, as Susan Rubio, California state senator, has called for the FBI and Department of Justice to launch a full investigation into the allegations.
With such allegations coming to light, it brings into question whether Manson’s true character had been portrayed to us all along through his artistry; hiding in plain sight. Though it should be noted that these are merely allegations, his past antics from ‘urinating on the crowd’ at his concerts to decorating and taking pictures of a naked groupie with ‘hot dogs, salami and pig’s feet’ all over her, doesn’t show Manson in the greatest light.
________________________________________________________________
Edited by Sophie Alexander – Entertainment Editor
Header Image by Christos Alamaniotis
