Heather Renée Sweet, better known by her public persona, Dita Von Teese, issued a statement in response to the allegations of abuse made against her ex-husband, Marilyn Manson.
The American model, actor and businesswoman, known for her '50s inspired glamour looks and the re-popularization of burlesque performance, noted that while "abuse of any kind has no place in a relationship," the allegations made against heavy-metal musician do not match her experiences while the two were a couple.
In her post, Von Teese thanked those who have reached out to her and inquired about her well-being after the allegations were made public. She urged anyone who has incurred abuse to "take steps to heal and the strength to fully realize [them]selves." Von Teese concluded that this would be her first and only comment on the matter and that she hopes her request for privacy will be respected.
Her statement comes shortly after actor Evan Rachel Wood named her former partner and ex-fiancé, Brian Warner (aka Marilyn Manson), as the perpetrator in years of alleged abuse, grooming and manipulation. On a social media post published Feb. 1, Wood accused Manson of grooming her while she was a teenager. The Westworld star wrote, "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."
Von Teese and Manson were a couple for several years, including one year of marriage, before, as Von Teese recalls, the marriage dissolved due to Manson's infidelity and drug use in 2007. Manson and Wood took their own relationship public in the same year, appearing together in Manson's music video "Heart-Shaped Glasses," for which she was the inspiration. The two were also engaged in 2010 before ending their relationship less than a year later.
In 2018, a police report was filed against Manson for unspecified sex crimes dating back to 2011. However, nothing came of the report since the Los Angeles district attorney declined to take the case any further. In 2016, Wood revealed that she had twice been raped years earlier by someone close to her but did not say who it was at the time. Manson has responded to Wood's allegations denying their validity and calling her claims "horrible distortions of reality."
If you are a U.S.-based victim of sexual assault or misconduct in need of help, contact RAINN at 800-656-4673 to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. If you are based outside the U.S., click here for a list of international sexual assault resources.
Source: Instagram