Marilyn Manson Defends Self in Statement Following Evan Rachel Wood Abuse Allegations

Early Monday morning, Evan Rachel Wood penned a message on Instagram in which she alleged that Marilyn Manson abused her during the course of their relationship. In her post, she claimed that he "horrifically abused" her when they were together over a decade ago. Now, Manson has responded to those allegations with a statement of his own.

On Monday evening, Manson posted a message to his official Instagram account in which he claimed that all of his relationships have been "consensual." He began his statement by writing that he and his art have always been "magnets for controversy." The musician went on to write that the abuse allegations against him are "horrible distortions of my reality." He continued to claim that all of the romantic relationships that he has been a part of have been "consensual" and with "like-minded partners." Manson ended his message by writing that others are "choosing to misrepresent the past" and that his words are the truth.

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As previously mentioned, Manson's statement comes shortly after Wood posted her message on Instagram in which she alleged that her former partner abused her during the course of their relationship. Wood and Manson first went public with their relationship in 2007. At the time, she was 19 and he was 38. They became engaged in 2010 but broke up later that same year. Over the years, the Westworld actor has referenced being a survivor of domestic violence. But, until now, she had not named her alleged abuser.

"The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson," Wood wrote. "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." Back in November 2020, Manson released a statement in which he denied ever having abused Wood. His statement came after he walked out of an interview with Metal Hammer, which questioned him about Wood's allegations given the timeline that she presented and how it aligned with the time period in which she dated the musician.