generic Former Of Mice & Men Vocalist Austin Carlile Responds to Accusations of Sexual Assault
The post Former Of Mice & Men Vocalist Austin Carlile Responds to Accusations of Sexual Assault appeared first on Consequence of Sound.
Earlier this month, Austin Carlile was accused of committing multiple acts of sexual assault against women via a series of social media posts by an alleged victim. Now, the former Of Mice & Men frontman has issued a statement denying those accusations.
Caitlyn Stiffler alleged that Carlile was a serial rapist who sought out “underage girls by using his position in the music industry to do so.” She claimed that she was assaulted by Carlile in 2007, when he was the singer for the band Attack Attack!
Furthermore, Stiffler also alleged that Alternative Press shelved an investigative story that would have told the stories of 15 women who were allegedly assaulted by Carlile. The magazine responded by stating, “For legal purposes regarding the Austin Carlile accusations, the story couldn’t run as it was told,” and later posted a lengthier message to its readers explaining the decision.
Carlile, who left Of Mice & Men in 2016 to focus on his battle with the genetic disorder Marfan syndrome, issued his statement Wednesday (June 17th). He admitted that he “acted like a jerk” and did things he was not proud of, but insisted he never violated any women. His full statement reads as follows:
“In my younger years, I absolutely was not the best person, but I have never physically abused, preyed upon, forced myself upon, or drugged any woman. These accusations are false and defamatory.
I am not a perfect person: I smoked marijuana daily, drank often, got into fights and acted like a jerk more times than I can count. I did things and acted in ways that I am not proud of, but never have I violated anyone. These ‘accusations’ being thrown around on social media, in our current ‘cancel culture’ climate, are extremely heinous and completely without merit.
My wife is a molestation and rape survivor, and I have personally seen the deep, long-standing pain that she battles with every day. I have spent years surrendering my flesh over to God, allowing Him to constantly improve who I am as a man, husband, and father. During this past week, I have even had the joy of seeing the heartbeat of my new child for the very first time. Today, I am focused on supporting my pregnant wife, our daughter, this new blessing in our lives, my health, my wife’s health, and striving to be a better person every day.
These accusations have been investigated by the appropriate authorities as well as independent journalists and were determined to be unfounded. I apologize to the Marfan Foundation, I Am Second, my former bandmates and any of our dedicated fans who have been unjustly brought into this controversy and wish them all nothing but the best.
All women deserve to feel safe, supported, and heard, but these unjust attacks upon my family and accusations against me, are decades-old claims that are unfounded.”
Of Mice & Men’s current lineup issued their own statement last week when the accusations first surfaced. “This individual has not been a member of Of Mice & Men for almost four years,” wrote the band. “We absolutely condemn sexual violence and harassment in any form.”
Former Of Mice & Men Vocalist Austin Carlile Responds to Accusations of Sexual Assault
Spencer Kaufman
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