Marilyn Manson’s Sexual Abuse Accuser Says Seeing Him Perform With Justin Bieber and Kanye West Is ‘Heartbreaking’
Justin Bieber, Kanye West, and Marilyn Manson might not seem like the trio of performers you would expect to collaborate. But that’s exactly what the three musicians did at West’s Sunday Service on Halloween.
The artists are no strangers to controversy, and Manson has been accused of sexual abuse and assault by multiple women in the past year. After Manson’s Sunday Service appearance, one of his accusers spoke out against West and Bieber for supporting an alleged abuser. Here’s what she had to say.
Several women accused Marilyn Manson of sexual abuse before his performance with Justin Bieber and Kanye West
Since early 2021, Manson has been accused of sexual abuse and assault by several women, including actor and musician Evan Rachel Wood.
On Feb. 1, Wood wrote an Instagram post naming Manson as her abuser. She claimed that he “started grooming [her] when [she] was a teenager” and “horrifically abused [her] for years.” She also wrote that she was “brainwashed and manipulated into submission.”
And according to Vanity Fair, at least four other women have come forward with similar allegations against Manson. They shared their experiences of “sexual assault, psychological abuse, and/or various forms of coercion, violence, and intimidation.”
Manson’s record label dropped him, and the television shows American Gods and Creepshow canceled his scheduled appearances. The “KILL4ME” singer then posted his rebuttal on Instagram.
“Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality. 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.”
Justin Bieber and Kanye West performed with the disgraced musician at Sunday Service
So, what do Justin Bieber and Kanye West have to do with the Marilyn Manson sexual abuse allegations? On Sunday, Oct. 31, the two artists performed with the disgraced musician during West’s weekly Sunday Service.
One of Manson’s alleged victims, Ashley Morgan Smithline, spoke out against Bieber and West for supporting her abuser. “It’s heartbreaking. It makes me sick,” Smithline told People on Nov. 2. “How is this the world we live in?
“It makes everyone really f—ing sick. This is just like being retraumatized. And it’s just showing the point that the world doesn’t really care if you rape and if you beat and hurt all these [women], you can do whatever you want, basically, if you have money and you’re a guy and you’re famous.”
Speaking of West specifically, Smithline said, “This man has to know that he is enabling a rapist. He’s enabling an abuser and not just [of] one girl.”
The ‘Flashing Lights’ rapper brought Marilyn Manson onstage at his Donda listening party
Sunday Service wasn’t the first time that West showed support for Manson amidst the sexual abuse allegations. On Aug. 26, the “Gold Digger” rapper brought the “Sweet Dreams” singer on stage during his Chicago Donda listening party.
West also invited DaBaby, who was also embroiled in controversy due to making homophobic comments, on stage. The trio posed on a set replicating West’s childhood home. DaBaby and Manson are both featured on the track “Jail, Pt. 2” from the Donda album.
The song had highly suggestive lyrics, considering the allegations Manson is facing. The lyrics Manson sings on the track include, “I’ll be honest, we all liars; I’m pulled over and I got priors; Guess we goin’ down, guess who’s goin’ to jail? Guess who’s goin’ to jail tonight?”
How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.
