Los Angeles/New York, January 23, 2020 – Music mogul Russell Simmons has been accused of sexually assaulting over twenty women. ON THE RECORD is a documentary that tells the story of several of his accusers, and the film will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25th.
This statement has been organized by Equality Now, UltraViolet, and V-Day, with over one hundred organizations and individuals adding their support.
It is a call for an end to the re-victimization of those who have sacrificed so much to lay bare their own trauma in the public interest of truth, justice, accountability, and the greater #MeToo movement. We must never allow sexual predators to act as arbiters of the credibility of victims, and all attempts to stifle survivors’ voices must be met with fierce and public resistance.
Every survivor of sexual violence deserves to be heard, believed, and supported. The women in On The Record have had their accounts well vetted by major media outlets and by the filmmakers. Drew Dixon’s story, published by the New York Times in December 2017, has been live for over two years, with only one correction unrelated to the three accusers’ stories (the correction notes that Simmons no longer has ties to a company he was involved with called Global Grind). There are no inconsistencies.
To the women who have been assaulted by Russell Simmons, we believe you. Full stop.
Full statement and list of signatories:
“It takes great courage for any survivors of sexual assault to come forward, especially publicly. We admire the bravery of all of the Russell Simmons’ survivors and the #silencebreakers who stepped up to share their story in the @OnTheRecordDoc. We are unequivocally united in supporting the survivors in the film and all survivors of Russell Simmons. We want them to know: We believe you. We hear you. You deserve to be seen. #MeToo”
Individuals
- Ai-Jen Poo
- Alexandra Posen
- Alysia Reiner
- Alyssa Milano
- Aminatou Sow
- Amy Carlson
- Angela Rose
- Anne Ream
- Beverly Guy-Sheftall
- Bonnie Abaunza
- Bridgit Antoinette Evans
- Caitlin Dulany
- Caroline Heldman
- Charlotte Sheedy
- Dan Cogan
- Evan Rachel Wood
- Eve Ensler
- Frances Fisher
- Geralyn Dreyfous
- Gina Belafonte
- Gloria Steinem
- Hibaaq Osman
- Heidi Schreck
- Idina Menzel
- Isolde Brielmaier
- Jamia Wilson
- Jenny Raskin
- Jerri Moomaw
- Jess McIntosh
- Jess Morales Rocketto
- Judith Bruce
- Julia Pacetti
- Kamilah Willingham
- Katherine Kendall
- Kevin Powell
- Lara Stein
- Larissa Gomes
- Liesl Gerntholtz
- Lili Bernard
- Lisa Shannon
- Liz Garbus
- Liz Plank
- Marisa Tomei
- Monica Ramirez
- Nelini Stamp
- Pamela Guest
- Pat Mitchell
- Paula J. Giddings
- Professor Kimberle Crenshaw
- Rachel Lears
- Rosanna Arquette
- Rose McGowan
- Sarah Sophie Flicker
- Sheetal Sheth
- Simon Kilmurry
- Susan Celia Swan
- Susan Xenarios
- Taina Bien Aime
- Tanya Selvaratnam
- Teresa C. Younger
- Thandie Newton
- Yara Travieso
- Yasmeen Hassan
- Zillah Eisenstein
Organizations
- Black Women’s Blueprint
- Chicago Media Project
- Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
- Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking
- Cohen Law Group
- Equality Now
- Everywoman Everywhere
- Feminist Camp
- FUTURES without Violence
- Girls for Gender Equity
- HEART Women & Girls
- HERUNIVERCITY INC.
- Impact Partners
- InMaat Foundation
- Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative
- Justice For Migrant Women
- Karama
- MADRE
- Ms. Foundation for Women
- National Alliance to End Sexual Violence
- National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- National Domestic Workers Alliance
- National Women’s Law Center
- New York Alliance on Sexual Assault
- New York Women’s Foundation
- One Billion Rising
- Oregon Abuse Advocates and Survivors in Service
- PAVE
- Promundo-US
- Protect Our Defenders
- Rights4Girls
- Sisterhood Is Global Institute
- The Voices and Faces Project
- Tools & Tiaras
- UltraViolet
- V-Day
- We are the Federation
- Witness
- Women And Hollywood
- Women in Film, Los Angeles
- Women’s Equal Justice Project
- Women’s March Global
- World Without Exploitation