Sunday night, Evan Rachel Wood named her abuser. For years, she’s referenced the ordeal she went through in an physically and emotionally abusive relationship. For years, ERW’s fans have assumed that she was speaking about Marilyn Manson, and she confirmed that this week. Evan said Manson “horrifically abused her” during their multi-year relationship which began when she was 18/19 years old. About 24 hours after Evan’s Instagram post, Manson responded:
Marilyn Manson is speaking out after facing abuse claims from Evan Rachel Wood and four other women.
“Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality,” he wrote in a statement shared on his Instagram. “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.”
As of this moment, four other women have come forward with stories similar to Evan, that Manson groomed them and abused them and psychologically tortured them. I think it’s pretty typical of Manson to deflect those accusations to being a “magnet for controversy,” like his attention-seeking performative shock-art shtick means he gets a pass for raping intimate partners or emotionally and physically abusing girlfriends.
The industry has already begun to cut their ties with Manson following ERW’s Instagram statement. He was dropped by his label, Loma Vista Recordings, “effective immediately.” Starz has said that they’re removing him from a guest-appearance on their series American Gods. Starz issued a statement too: “Due to the allegations made against Marilyn Manson, we have decided to remove his performance from the remaining episode he is in, scheduled to air later this season. Starz stands unequivocally with all victims and survivors of abuse.” Manson had also filmed a segment for the Shudder series Creepshow and AMC Networks has announced that the segment will not air, and he will be replaced. Manson’s former publicist (who hasn’t worked with him since last year) also said that “TCB PR believes and supports survivors of abuse.” Would I be a Debbie Downer if I noted that Manson wouldn’t be this thoroughly denounced if he wasn’t already a massive has-been?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Yeah. Right. Sure.
We don’t believe him, do we?! UGH.
I just watched his video (do not recommend) of Running to the Edge of the World where they simulate a young woman being beaten bloodied. It’s gratuitous and disgusting.
No, I don’t believe him. I believe everyone else.
A girl made up to look like ERW, when they were on a break, and with letters capitalised that make up the initials of her name: Running to the Edge of the World. He has been so obvious about this for so long. Not to mention that his previous website opener was literally a video of him punching a naked and bloody ERW repeatedly in the face which somehow got a pass as “acting” and “art” even though it is real disgusting (even if acting and makeup, which it’s not) and she has stated that it was real. He has been so open about it!!
An abuser trying to gaslight his victims.
How surprising. /s
He’s trying to save future revenue. And I’m thinking if we did a deep dive those that dropped him haven’t always stood by survivors as they have claimed.
This is because he’s no longer a cash cow. But a win is a win.
It is not a distorted reality of the many, many women he abused.
The notion of a 36 year old celebrity having an “entirely consensual” relationship with an 18 year old that he’d been grooming since before she was age of consent is a distortion of reality.
Wonder is J Depp will come to his defence? Like MM did for him. Birds of a feather…
Spoken like a typical abuser, nothing is ever their fault, deflect blame and gaslight.
When she started dressing like DVT, my “this is wrong” radar pinged like crazy. Looking back, the grooming was evident, even if she was a legal adult. I’m so glad she feels safe enough to name him and I am so grateful that there is better language around abuse today vs even 5 years ago, and I hate it for every survivor. I remember going in front of the judge in 2000 and him asking me if I was assaulted, why I still spoke with the perpetrator afterwards, a very common behavior when victims are trying to process their experience at the hands of someone they know. Just… a lot has changed in the past 20 years and we still have a long way to go.
I felt the same way! It was creepy and I felt ERW was not being herself.
Oh my goodness, why in the world do we give so much power to men, yet look away from the harm some cause.
I’m sorry that you endured what you did. Many of us still talk to our abusers, the grooming is that insidious to accept their craziness as normal
I am so sorry you went through that Hufflepufflizlemon. Here’s hoping the courts (and the f-ing world) change. Hugs.
Everyone knew he did these things. No secret here! What is shocking is the fact he’s getting dropped from his label. Glad he’s such a has been that no one is supporting him anymore.
I think that it was pretty much a common knowledge (or at least a widespread widely talked about suspicion), this is why once it was publicly articulated by ERW, everyone were fast to drop him. Probably for them it was just a matter of time rather than a decision if it will ever come to dropping his freak abusive ass. And so high of him to shield behind “art” what he is doing is not so much an “art” but an outlet to his sick fantasies, that too many people made profit out of while closing their eyes to his abuse. I am sure those four stories are just a tip of the iceberg.
Doesn’t it just feel like they’ve been waiting for a reason to drop him? They pulled that out pretty quickly.
Ah yes, the old ~ARTISTE~ defence from someone who has done the absolute MOST to be “edgy”. Fuck off, Brian
choking on my coffee
“my art and my life”- I’m rolling me eyes so hard at this.
Disgusting.
The fact that they started dating when she was 18 and he was almost 40 tells you everything you need to know. He wanted to have power over and groom her, period.
I understand this sentiment but it has an air of victim blaming because emotional, psychological, verbal, and physical abuse can happen at any age and within any age difference. Emotional manipulation can always happen, whether someone is 18 or 48…
Oh, come on. It’s at worst – overlooking some other possible dynamics of how one ends up a victim, but it’s not “victim blaming” by any stretch of imagination, especially when stated in a clear context of a specific situation, not made as a pronouncement on “this is how all/most victims get sucked in”.
What??
@ JustJJ, I think it is useful to indicate when a victim of sexual abuse and coercive control is a teenager because age is a factor that can make someone vulnerable to abuse. But there are many factors that can make someone vulnerable to this sort of perpetrator, such as economic insecurity, low self esteem, & minimal social support. Age is just one of many and people who are 30+ can still have other characteristics that make them vulnerable to someone like Manson. We all have vulnerabilities and these types of perpetrators are really good at finding the ‘right’ combination of things that will make someone more likely to get sucked in by their initial charm. It’s as if they have a sixth sense for it. But all of the fault lies with the perpetrator for manipulating and abusing someone.
Yes that’s certainly true abuse can happen to anyone and abusers can use any number of tactics against any number of victims. I am not implying that older people are “less” victims of abuse
However in this situation it seems very clear that he used the age difference and the power imbalance that comes with it (life and relationship experience, social capital in the entertainment industry gained over the years etc) to groom this particular victim in this particular instance.
In the doc about R Kelly, much was made of the age of some of his victims, but many of the women were over 30 when R Kelly met them. It wasn’t about age or being attracted to children’s bodies it was about finding someone’s vulnerabilities and exploiting them. A younger person could make for an easier target but not always.
@ JustJJ, You sound like an ally to abuse victims and my apologies for not explaining my point clearly about victim characteristics. There are characteristics about people that are correlated with a higher incidence of being a victim of abuse. That is not a myth. However, that doesn’t mean these characteristics cause the abuse or that the victims are at fault. The abuser is the sole person responsible for the abuse. It is correlation and not causation. It’s similar to the correlation that being alone late at night and intoxicated puts someone at risk to be a victim of crime. A crime is more likely to occur, but it doesn’t mean being out drunk late at night is the cause. And people have the right to be out late at night alone without being a crime victim. Just as people have the right to be who they are and have vulnerabilities without someone manipulating and abusing them (like I said, we all have vulnerabilities).
Sure but abusers select, groom, and abuse victims because of their pathology and because they are predators and abusers. Period. Sure, there can be power dynamics at play, sure, it can be compounded by other things… however, smart, successful, accomplished, experienced, well educated people are abused all the time. As are those for whom the perpetrator is otherwise an equal whether that by professionally, or whatever. I’m just saying, abuse is abuse. No matter what the situation. I just don’t think it’s true that it’s only the naive, young, poor, and emotionally damaged (which is problematic af to say insecurities or whatever make someone an easier target) or whatever else you’re trying to imply-who get abused. To say they go for ‘easy prey’ is insulting, to survivors. Abusers abuse and exploit others because that’s who they are. Abusers. End of story.
There just isn’t one profile of a victim, that’s not true. Was age a factor here, maybe, but the bottom line is that ERW and all of MM’s victims are saying he has been psychologically and physically abusive to many, many, women.
Agreed & trying to say you had a like minded partner when you were damn near 40 & they were 18 is very telling….
Right but to me it always sounds like people are implying the perpetrator would be “less” culpable somehow if she were 38 and he were 40-when age is brought up as a primary factor in manipulation. I just don’t think psychological abuse has anything to do with age differences in 99.99% of cases and I think it’s important to point that out but I agree that it says a lot about his level of maturity to date someone half his age and it’s gross.
What?! No it just means that the perp is choosing their preys and know it’ll be easier to groom and abuse a less-experienced, less-powerful, less-rich person
I get what you are saying @Justjj but it’s easier to prey on young girls when the age difference is massive. Doesn’t mean that a person is less of a victim when the age difference is minimal, it’s just an acknowledgement that the age difference can make grooming easier. Girls that age and younger are constantly targetted and harassed by older men. It’s predatory. When they do engage in a relationship with a much older men, they are often belittled and coerced into doing things they are not comfortable with. These abusers use the age difference as a means of coercion because they rely on it to call their victims childish, immature, inexperienced, unworldly etc.
Ok. All I was trying to say is abuse is abuse. Across age, across gender, across culture, across sexual orientation, across economic lines. There are no real distinctions. Of course, it is always about power and control and of course those with more power who are abusers will always leverage the power they have in any way they can. There are emotionally infantile 40+ year olds (like MM) just like there are worldly, well educated, savvy, mature, 18 year olds. We are shaped by our experiences. Abusers do not choose women because they are easy to exploit, because they’re young, because they have less money, or because they’re insecure though. This is a dangerous myth and it is victim blame-y. That’s all I was trying to say. Of course the power dynamic here is gross and vast age differences are usually gross but Evan’s star was going to rise with or without MM, IMO. She’s incredibly talented, always seems well spoken and aware, and has had huge success on her own-even when she was younger.
Everyone was fine working with him until just now? Are we all supposed to pretend that ERW naming him was a big shock and that the world didn’t already know he was an abuser?
THIS. i was coming to say just this. everyone KNEW it was him all these years. people working with him have observed him abusing these women. literally nobody did anything. but now that it’s public, they get rid of him. i’m glad they are now but i wish it didn’t take women having to tell their stories so publicly to get them to do so.
I agree Sa, but I also think that since she had NOT named him, he was given the benefit of the doubt. (Not with ME…. but I can see how, for example, those in the industry didn’t want to go on speculation)
There were a LOT of people defending him earlier, before she named names, and saying that it could have been someone else. Again *I* didn’t believethat, but many people did.
What confounds me is that this POS actually thinks he can just say they are all lying. Dude, there are FIVE women that named you as f Sunday evening. Also, the actress from Game of Thrones that spoke of her abuse earlier also dated him and her stories/tining matched up with him as well. And es, these are JUST the ones that have decided to come out SO FAR. There is no way he was THAT depraved and “only” abused 5 or 6 women. There will be more. Maybe they won’t come out, and that is entirely their right, but there has to be more.
“….There is no way he was THAT depraved and “only” abused 5 or 6 women.” Now this is a dangerous comment on many levels. Yes a person can be THAT depraved and abuse only 1 person. The big danger with this type of logic is the public in general thinks if it is only one woman saying they were abused it can’t be true. Further if as in this case Rose McGowan, who has spoken up about her sexual assault, and was engaged to Marilyn Manson said her relationship was not like this, but she believes and is proud of Evan and the other victims for telling their truth. Plus she said her relationship nor previous or later relationships have no bearing on this at all. Now that is the truth. Some abusers do just abuse one person or certain people while others don’t. Why? Who knows depends on a lot of factors I guess. It seems like the victims only get believed when they come with a ton of victims. That’s scary for one thing I’d rather get these criminals closer to the first victim than the latter and the crime is still the crime whether it’s one or more.
sameasiteverwas- Well, I certainly wasn’t implying that a person can’t abuse just ONE woman at all.
For starters, he had 5-6 come out against him, so in his case most definitely NOT just one. My thought process was more that with 5-6 coming forward publicly, and the fact that he was a touring rock star with access to many adoring fans, chances are that MORE will come to light. Apparently he talks about treating groupies horribly in his autobiograpghy.
There’s a big gossip blogger who back in the day claimed, Wood and Skarsgard were dating while costarring in early True Blood. And she blamed Kate Bosworth for breaking them up. TL says it’s more likely it was Manson’s doing (if it was anyone’s at all). I’ve been thinking a lot about misogyny and how it gets perpetrated. And who it harms. And who wields it, viciously so.
This dude is a gaslighter and a liar. Anyone who believes him is also a misogynist. These days, many won’t dare, but back in 2010, takes would have been hot.
Of course its all a distortion on his art – even thou he admitted to it in various interviews he has given. He’s denying it as its hitting him where it hurts, his pocket/career and ego.
Am sure more women will come forward, heck even an old band member came out and said it’s all true.
‘Would I be a Debbie Downer if I noted that Manson wouldn’t be this thoroughly denounced if he wasn’t already a massive has-been?’
Well, quite. I’m finding it very interesting who gets immediately forgiven and who doesn’t for this sort of thing. MM is seeing much more backlash than Shia was just a couple of weeks ago.
Maybe it is because white women are the victims.
Good point.
Ugh. That is a good point.
Ugh. That is a good point.
Yes, while I’m very pleased that there are consequences to his actions, which does feel like progress from where we were just a few years ago sadly I think this is right on the money, literally. You can get credit for doing the ‘right’ thing without there being a huge £$€ hit for ditching him.
No- this is absolutely part of it. People are more willing to punish abusers when there is less money to be made off working with them.
SO frustrating to call abuse “his art”. And so frustrating when famous powerful men in their 30s-50s call their abusive relationships with teenagers “consensual”. It throws the burden of responsibility on to the teenage victim, like “well they agreed to it; they knew what they were doing.”
“Would I be a Debbie Downer if I noted that Manson wouldn’t be this thoroughly denounced if he wasn’t already a massive has-been?” Nailed it. They will suffer very little financial loss by dumping him at this late stage of his “art” but can pretend to be woke.
And I do think JD was the other attacker. Both are human garbage.
My guess is they’ve been hemorrhaging money on him for a while and/or he’s incredibly difficult to work with.
Dude, whatever, that is clearly inaccurate. He created an environment where consent was impossible. Whatever consent was originally given, it was rescinded at some point that he ignored for his own pleasure.
He can get all the way out with this mess.
Yeah exactly. You can freely enter into a relationship with someone, but that doesn’t mean you consent to everything that happens. And any argument about “consenting adults” is considerably weakened when one person is a teenager and the other is nearly 40.
Isn’t it incredible that even in 2020 men are so arrogant, so sure in their superiority that they don’t believe they will be held accountable, that they don’t believe their shitty behavior will have consequences and that no one will question their version of events since men’s words always outweigh outweigh women’s words.
They’ve had this for 1000’s of years, we’re making progress but of course they don’t understand why they might not be able to do anything they want. Particularly if they have money/power.
Am I the only one that remembers an article from 3 years ago or so which talked about MM’s ‘rock star’ lifestyle, his cold, dark house, his drug use, the very young ‘girlfriend’ whose allowable behavior he dictated to her?? I cannot find this article, I think it got scrubbed because Jonny Depp’s drug use was also detailed therein. If anyone can find it I’ll love you forever. But yeah, none of this is surprising or new information. I believe Evan and all the other accusers!
I think that was a New York Times article. I remember the cold house and drug use stuff.
Plenty of artists create controversial, provocative art that can be a magnet for critique and controversy. I just can’t recall ever hearing any of them trying to hide behind their art before, to deflect serious, multiple, very specific instances of abuse.
I just keep having “we are stars in the dope show” run through my head.
I’ve always loved Manson’s music. You can deliver controversial music, diving down a dark shocking hole, without being the hole. Rob Zombie. And I also understand the tortured soul it takes to produce some of our most significant art throughout the years. But using your art as a justification to release personal demons on another soul puts you in another category altogether. You must be removed from society and hope some of your fans write to you in jail. It does not matter what your art produces (music, comedy, film, canvas, photography, I don’t give a shit lol), harming humans and animals in any way is sick and requires incarceration. Yeah, I’m also talking politically. Amazing how people stack the scales of justice.
Trent Reznor (not an abuser as far as I know).
…says the guy who pretended to beat and murder a girl in a music video. And sings about this kind of violence in his music. And has such a known substance abuse issue that he can’t finish concerts. And is best friends with Johnny Depp. And…
I bet him and JD are having the biggest loser pity party right now.
A woman who is clearly implied to be Evan Rachel Wood and I don’t know why we’re not all talking about it like he didn’t make that video 10 years ago (Running to the Edge of the World) I hope she gets some healing and some justice comes out of this
Yeah, his “art” normalizes the abuse of women (and it isn’t very good/edgy/clever imho). Where does that come from? Probably not healthy relationships with women. But many people accept this as acceptable art. Imagine if a female artist had a video where she tortures men in it? And if that artist were a WOC, well…it would be barbaric!
I have never understood how violent abuse of another human being, real or simulated, could be entertaining to anyone or could be viewed as art. That might make me an old prude but I don’t apologize for being horrified by the horrible. I used to have a bf who would say shocking things and then be all “What?” when people were shocked. Kinda the same thing on a much different plane.
Yeah I agree. The world will be better off without his “art”.
I actually did not know he was like this until Evan actually named him. I was so put off by him I didn’t bother paying attention to anything connected to him.
So I did a quick look at Wikipedia and holy crap he is the one whose house Keanu’s ex and mother of his child, Jennifer Syme, left and got on the road drugged and ended up dying in an accident. Her mother ended up suing Manson.
He’s connected to so much bad shit. I always assumed it was just a stage act and he was likely a normal guy under all the crazy makeup, like it supposedly is for most of those artists like Alice Cooper (at least I haven’t heard anything awful about him). Boy did I get an eye full of horror just reading the wiki article on him. I can’t imagine being in the same house as him just as a maid or something. Being his wife or girlfriend is inconceivably horrific. +Props to ERW for getting away and going on to a better life and speaking out.
I know what you mean. I used to date this professor who got his PhD at a world renowned university, did fascinating research, …and he made jokes like this all the time. I couldn’t understand how someone who knew so much could know so little about being a decent human being. Like… a part of him seemed to honestly believe people who he deemed less intelligent than himself, somehow deserved to eat sh*t and die. It was… horrific, actually. That ended quickly.
I still remember reading his autobiography many, many years ago. His own words made it clear that he was an abusive, manipulative piece of shit, even back then. The backstage gossip and behavior of both he and his band mates in the 90’s and early 2000’s further proved his abusive nature. And then later he openly talked about (and displayed) his abuse of ERW in videos and interviews. I’m glad he’s finally facing some consequences for being absolutely shit person.
This loser again. It has nothing to do with your art, as*hole. I don’t care about your art, how eloquently you speak or how smart you think you are (which is what all those people who defend him point to), you are a trash human if you abuse your intimate partners.
It must be a shock for the guilty to discover that in the 21st century, women don’t put up with this fuckery.
Coercion is not consent. Manipulation is not consent. Explicit or implied threats cannot result in consent. Eroding a partner’s self esteem and attacking their autonomy can’t result in consent. Trauma bonds are not consensual relationships.
I think you made a point. People will only begin to hear what a victim is saying when the abuser has lost most of his “power”. I think it used to be the same with Weinstein (the company was losing money I seem to recall). I’ve seen that happening many times.
Men who try to hide behind their “art”… Gross. I’m a little surprised he didn’t feign the pensive sensitive guy thing and offer up some non apology, claiming he’s woke and supports women or some other BS he doesn’t actually believe… I’m surprised he doubled down on being a piece of sh*t instead
Eww. He has always given me weird vibes and I just don’t get the buzz around him, even back in the day. Glad Evan is speaking out and getting his paychecks taken away.
He told in an interview, correct me if I am wrong, once he called her 100 times in one day.
So B!@*h please.
I love Kaiser’s picture shade always but can I just say, it’s on point here… The double chins and lookin like a disheveled Hot Topic grandma.
Ha ha! I was thinking something similar. But Hot Topic grandma with a double chin is perfect!
Abusers love to pretend they don’t remember what happened. I’ve seen it first hand a couple of times. From an uncle who abused his (my) family for decades and could not understand why my aunt divorced him and from an abusive former boss of mine who, literally minutes after verbally abusing an employee would say, “I don’t know what I said!” It’s so insane.
Yep, it’s an abuse tactic. I thought I was losing my mind with this guy I was with because he’d say all these horrible things then claim I made it up or twisted his words, until I started secretly recording him. Once I heard it back with a clear head it was obvious what he was doing and gaslighting me. Somehow I always ended up apologizing to him after he did or said fked up things.
Those cascading triple chins crowned by clown lipstick are the actual “horrible distortions of reality.”
I was under the impression that, back in the day (2009?) he had admitted being abusive. That interview in which he talked about cutting himself everytime Evan wouldn’t pick up the phone.
The header photo ( and, well all of them, really) is a horrible distortion of reality.
Please, he wrote about sexually assaulting and harassing fans in his book. That came out in 1996; the events date back to 1993-4. There is still some question as to whether those encounters were consensual. The way he wrote about them strongly suggests that they were *not.* His behaviour has been an open secret for years, and it’s disappointing that people continue to work with and praise him. (Cyndi Lauper, I’m lookin’ at you.)
I wonder if these men get caught up in the word ”consensual” and use that to justify their behavior to themselves…? Like they will groom and gaslight and manipulate women but as long as the sex is ”consensual” they can tell themselves what they’re doing is ok?
I don’t think you’re being Debbie Downer to notice that. There is very clear math being done by brands when they take a social stance or side with victims. Then the math of how firm the statement or consequence will be. Evan Rachel Wood has far more clout than MM does now and going forward, barring some sort of miraculous recovery for him. Loma Linda and Starz know that, wherever their feelings and morals lie. I think the awesome positive thing here is that ERW made such an remarkable recovery herself and channeled it into her portrayal of Delores Abernathy and now has the power to make that statement with less risk…thereby helping other victims or potential victims. Of both MM and other abusers, especially considering her work on sex assault and abuse legislation. That’s really inspiring, despite us being rightfully wary of corporations siding against him.
This happens all the time in academia–you don’t have to be a celebrity to see this happening. If you knew how many professors I knew in certain departments in undergrad and grad school who were 35-55ish who groomed their 18-21 year old students, you’d be appalled. I dated one prof (he never was my professor) briefly whom I later found out threatened some of his students who would not go out with him, all while he was dating multiple other people too. There were allegations of rape, stalking, you name it! He is the definition of a sociopath. He even pretended he was 10 years younger to act like he was closer in age to his students. He has since state jumped, now in his mid 40’s, and since community colleges typically don’t do background checks on people, I heard he is in another state teaching young women again. I pray for them a lot to be honest.