Last week allegations have been brought to light that Austin Carlile (Ex – Vocalist for Of Mice & Men and Attack Attack!) had sexually assaulted a woman in the past.
The allegations surfaced via the music publication Alternative Press in a now deleted article regarding Carlile’s faith, following which an alleged victim came forward and brought up that an article intended to be published but was ultimately dropped due to “legal purposes”.
The former vocalist has now shared his statement in response to the claims which have been made against him via his personal Instagram account, which you can read below.
“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.”
In 2016, Carlile let Of Mice & Men due to his ongoing struggles with Marfan Syndrome.
For those who are facing or are survivors of sexual abuse, harassment or misconduct, help and support can be found via the following links.
NHS: www.nhs.uk
Safeline: www.safeline.org.uk
A Voice For The Innocent: www.avoicefortheinnocent.org
RAINN: www.rainn.org
The Survivors Trust: www.thesurvivorstrust.org
Citizens Advice: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
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