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Evan Rachel Wood has accused Marilyn Manson of abuse.
“The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,” the actress wrote in an Instagram post Monday morning.
Wood has previously shared her experience with sexual abuse and domestic violence in front of government bodies, including in 2018 with the House Judiciary Committee and in 2019 with the California Senate.
In the 2018 testimony, Wood described being the survivor of “toxic mental, physical and sexual abuse” that included “threats against my life, severe gaslighting and brainwashing,” as well as “sick rituals” and “waking up to the man that claimed to love me raping what he believed to be my unconscious body.” In 2019, she described being in a relationship with a man at age 18, who abused her “through means of starvation, sleep deprivation and threats against my life.”
Wood did not name her abuser in either testimony, but many had speculated she was speaking about Manson due to the time frame she referenced, which appeared to overlap with her relationship with the musician. Her Instagram post Monday marks the first time she’s used Manson’s name publicly in regard to the allegations.
“[Manson] started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years,” Wood wrote. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission.”
“I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail,” she continued. “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.”
As Vanity Fair reports, four more women have also come forward with allegations of abuse against Manson following Wood’s post. Manson’s reps have not yet responded to Vanity Fair‘s request for comment.
Wood’s allegations came up again in the news last fall when Manson hung up on an interview with the U.K. magazine Metal Hammer after the interviewer mentioned Wood’s name.
“Personal testimony is just that, and we think it’s inappropriate to comment on that,” a rep told Metal Hammer in a statement following the interview.
In 2018, Manson was accused of sex abuse dating back to 2011, though the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office declined to charge him, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Manson’s lawyer said in a statement at the time that the musician “categorically denied” those allegations.
By Josh Johnson
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