‘Southern Charm’: Did Kathryn Dennis Cheat on Thomas Ravenel?
For fans of Bravo’s Southern Charm, the last several years have been an absolutely wild ride. Thanks to Thomas Ravenel and Kathryn Dennis, there’s been no shortage of drama for the show to focus on. And even after Bravo decided to boot Thomas Ravenel from its production, it couldn’t escape the drawn-out custody battle Ravenel and Dennis are still going through. Since then, both parties have lobbed accusations at the other, many of them unsavory.
Throughout this process, there have been occasions where Ravenel has suggested that Kathryn Dennis cheated on him. Given his past behavior, fans might have a hard time believing Ravenel.
Ravenel’s sexual assault cases
To date, Ravenel has been accused of sexual assault twice. The first accusation against Ravenel came in 2016, from Debbie Holloway Perkins. Ravenel met Perkins on Tinder, and the two decided to meet up.
Ashley Perkins, Debbie’s daughter, told People, “I helped her get ready – she wore a diamond tennis bracelet on her wrist. Her wrist was fine when she left the house. He left her voicemail saying he got lost on the way to pick her up. I thought he sounded a little inebriated.”
Ravenel sexually assaulted Debbie in the nanny room, as Debbie protested. Eventually, the two parties settled out of court for $200,000.
That wasn’t the end for Ravenel, however. Another accusation came in 2018, when Ravenel’s previous nanny stepped forward. Dawn Ledwell brought charges against Ravenel after an incident that took place, once again, in the nanny room.
Explained Ledwell, “I was outraged because I found out then that I was not an isolated incident. I had blamed myself, like many victims do, [but I realized then] that it wasn’t my fault. It was his fault. He’s the perpetrator.”
Ledwell also reported that Ravenel, “approached [her] without any hesitation and attempted to kiss [her].” Ledwell adds, “It escalated from there where he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Although it wasn’t penile penetration, what he did do was identified by the law as first-degree forcible rape.”
Is Ravenel a reliable source?
In case two separate sexual assault allegations weren’t enough to cast doubt on Thomas Ravenel’s character, the now-disgraced politician is also known for having substance abuse problems, specifically with cocaine.
In fact, Ravenel served jail time on a federal drug charge. In 2007, Ravenel was charged with purchasing under 500 grams of cocaine and the intent to distribute the drug. A source in court testified that Ravenel had been seen using cocaine in 27 out of 30 house parties in his downtown Charleston home. The judge, U.S. District Judge Joseph Anderson Jr., said, “We have an awful lot of cocaine parties at the house of a state constitutional officer.”
Dawn Ledwell has also discussed an experience her friend, an Uber driver, had with Ravenel on the night his son was born. According to Ledwell, when her friend drove to pick up Ravenel, “They wanted to party. They were all intoxicated … they were doing cocaine in her car.”
Kathryn Dennis speaks out
One of the main instances of Thomas Ravenel claiming Dennis cheated comes from Debbie Perkins’ daughter, Ashley Perkins. When speaking to Us, Ashley Perkins said, “He takes her into the house, and gives her a tour of the main house, very clinical, in a non-sexual way … He takes her into the nanny’s room, and starts looking out the window, and says to my mom, come look. She does, and Thomas tells her, see that bathroom in the main house, that is where I caught Kathryn [Dennis] making out with another guy.”
Additional rumors surfaced that Dennis cheated on Ravenel during a girl’s night out in 2015, but Dennis fired back. Dennis told People, “I did not cheat or do anything romantic that night. Cheating is against everything I stand for.”
Suffice it to say, the couple had an extremely volatile relationship. While Ravenel’s disgraceful actions have certainly made him a challenging source to take seriously, Kathryn Dennis isn’t without her own faults in the last several years. For now, fans will have to make their own judgments.
