As high-profile men in Hollywood have been pegged for sexual misconduct in recent weeks, Danny Masterson’s scandal has been largely swept under the rug.
The Ranch actor has been accused by four women of rape during the early 2000s, the Huffington Post reports. But despite months of investigation and “compelling” evidence by the Los Angeles authorities, no charges has been formally filed.
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Meanwhile, Netflix, who severed professional ties with House of Cards star Kevin Spacey and comedian Louis C.K. after they were accused of sexual misconduct in recent weeks, announced last month that new episodes of Masterson’s comedy will air early next year.
Per Netflix’s announcements, Chrissie Carnell Bixler, one of Masterson’s accusers, spoke out to The Daily Beast saying that she “can no longer be silent.”
“I was sick when I read Netflix’s statement on continuing with The Ranch and continuing their working relationship with a man who has violently raped and abused so many women,” Bixler said. “Four months after the story broke and the LAPD confirmed a criminal investigation, Netflix ordered another season of The Ranch.”
Bixler, like Masterson, is a member of the Church of Scientology, and the alleged victim claims the Church warned her and other women to keep quiet about their accusations against the actor.
“I don’t matter. The other women don’t matter. Our pain means nothing, and we should be good little girls and shut our mouths,” she said of Scientology’s wishes.
“No! I’m going to be an amazing woman who will NOT shut my mouth when I find out my rapist raped countless other women,” Bixler continued. “I will NOT shut my mouth when Netflix tries to make us feel like we don’t matter. We DO matter.”
She is coming forward in the public to ensure Masterson’s alleged crimes are no longer forgotten by silence.
“Victims are taking back the power that was stolen from us, and things are going to change. Netflix should write that down,” she said.
Accusations against Masterson first went public in March when journalist Tony Ortega published a series of documents on his site, The Underground Bunker. The story claimed that the LAPD were investigating multiple cases of rape and sodomy by Masterson, a devout Scientologist.
Ortega’s research highlighted evidence that showed the women, who were also members of the religious group, claim they were pressured by the Church of Scientology not to go public with their accusations or to contact police.
“The evidence includes audiotapes, emails sent to and from Scientology officers at the time the alleged rapes happened, forensic computer evidence and a threatening handwritten letter Masterson sent to one of the alleged victims, according to two people with knowledge of the evidence in the district attorney’s possession,” the Huffington Post‘s Yashar Ali wrote.
Though Netflix was quick to oust C.K. and Spacey after public accusations of sexual assault — with no criminal charges — were made against them, the streaming service chose to continue casting Masterson in multiple seasons of The Ranch.
“We are aware of the allegations and the subsequent investigation, and will respond if developments occur,” the company told Huffington Post.
Some of the show’s viewers share Bixler’s belief and have called for Netflix to fire Masterson, just as they axed others recently accused to sexual misconduct.
