Evan Rachel Wood accuses Marilyn Manson of ‘years of horrific abuse’ after ‘grooming as a teenager’

Evan Rachel Wood has accused Marilyn Manson of “years of horrific abuse”, claiming the singer groomed her as a teenager and “brainwashed her into submission”.

The Westworld actress shared a short statement on Instagram, detailing her allegations.

Please note this article contains graphic descriptions of alleged sexual violence and abuse.

She wrote: “The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson.

“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years. I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. 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. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent.”

Wood, 33, has previously spoken about being in an abusive relationship, but until now had not named the alleged perpetrator.

The Golden Globe nominated star began dating Manson in 2007, when she was 18 and he was 36, with the couple getting engaged in 2010.

However, they called off the relationship just seven months later.

In a 2009 interview with music magazine Spin, Manson made the comment: “I have fantasies every day about smashing [Wood’s] skull in with a sledgehammer.”

When the interview re-surfaced in 2020, his PR team later described Manson’s description “theatrical” rather than “factual”.

Following Wood’s post, at least four other women have shared similar allegations against Manson, including claims of sexual assault, psychological abuse, and various forms of coercion, violence, and intimidation

Manson’s team have “categorically denied” similar allegations in the past.

The 52-year-old has dated a string of high-profile women, and was previously engaged to actress and activist Rose McGowan for two years and married to performance artist Deeta Von Teese for one year.

In a testimony given to the California Senate Public Safety Committee back in April 2019, discussing legislation to alter the statute of limitations for crimes involving domestic violence, Wood described spending several years in an abusive relationship with a man she said she met in her late teens, however she did not specifically name the ex at the time.

The year before, in a 2018 appearance before a House Judiciary Subcommittee, which was part of a bid to get the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights passed in all 50 US states, Wood testified: “My experience with domestic violence was this: Toxic mental, physical and sexual abuse which started slow but escalated over time, including threats against my life, severe gaslighting and brainwashing, waking up to the man that claimed to love me raping what he believed to be my unconscious body.” Again, she did not give the name of her alleged abuser.

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In 2018, Los Angeles Police investigated historical claims of an “unspecified sex crime” against Manson, which was alleged to have taken place in 2011, however the case was not pursued due to lack of evidence.

Manson has most recently appeared in a cameo role in the third season of American Gods, and is due to appear in horror anthology Creepshow later this year.

Sky News has contacted representatives for Wood and Manson for comment.

(c) Sky News 2021: Evan Rachel Wood accuses Marilyn Manson of ‘years of horrific abuse’ after ‘grooming as a teenager’