American actor and comedian Aziz Ansari on Sunday responded to accusations of sexual assault levelled against him, saying he had believed that the encounter was “completely consensual”.
On Saturday, a 23-year-old woman had published a detailed account of her date with Ansari in September 2017 in Babe magazine, alleging that he had tried to initiate sexual activity while ignoring her signals that she was not interested. The woman, who is a photographer, wrote that the stand-up comedian had ignored her “clear non-verbal cues”.
After Ansari sent her a text message the day after their date, she told him how uncomfortable he had made her feel. “I want to make sure you’re aware so maybe the next girl doesn’t have to cry on the ride home,” she wrote back. The actor had replied, saying: “Clearly, I misread things in the moment and I’m truly sorry.”
Ansari won a Best Actor award for his lead performance in Master of None at the Golden Globes on January 7. He has an Emmy, as well, to his name for his role in the show. He has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment in the entertainment industry. At the Golden Globes, the actor was seen wearing a pin supporting Time’s Up, the legal defence fund for victims of sexual abuse and harassment.
The woman said it was “absolutely cringeworthy” to see him wearing the pin, after which she had decided to come forward. “It took a really long time for me to validate this as sexual assault,” she told Babe magazine. “I believe that I was taken advantage of by Aziz. I was not listened to and ignored. It was by far the worst experience with a man I’ve ever had.”
In his statement released on Sunday, the comedian acknowledged that the two had been on a date which had ended up in sexual activity later that night, “which by all indications was completely consensual”.
“The next day, I got a text from her saying that although “it may have seemed okay”, upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable,” he said. “It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said.”
He said he will continue to support the movement against sexual harassment and inappropriate sexual behaviour. “It is necessary and long overdue,” he concluded.
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