The torture Wood endured at the hands of Manson led her to self-harm. She had to enroll herself in a psychiatric hospital to get over the trauma.
Trigger warning: Contains details of abuse that may be disturbing to some
While American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, painter, writer, and former music journalist, Marilyn Manson is being accused of sexually, physically, and emotionally abusing five women, actress Evan Rachel Wood has finally revealed the name of her unnamed abusive ex, who is none other than Manson himself.
In an Instagram post, she gave a name to her abuser and 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.”
Soon, four other women posted similar harrowing experiences with Manson claiming they were sexually assaulted, psychologically abused, and went through various forms of coercion, violence, and intimidation. Following the accusations, Manson was dropped by his record label, Loma Vista. On his Instagram page, the artists labeled all the allegations a "horrible distortions of reality."
In an effort to get the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights passed in all 50 states, Wood, an activist, detailed her horrific experience while dating Manson to the subcommittee in 2018 and said, “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.”
Testifying before California legislators on behalf of the Pheonix Act, a legislation that altered the statute of limitations for crimes involving domestic violence, Wood added that because of the abuse she endured, she found herself in a psychiatric hospital for a while. "This was, however, a turning point in my life when I started seeking professional help to deal with my trauma and mental stress."
The West World actress and Manson started dating in 2006, but their on and off relationship finally saw its end in January 2010 after being engaged for seven months, as per People. In a 2009 Spin article, Manson said, “I have fantasies every day about smashing her skull in with a sledgehammer.” The artist was referring to Wood.
Along with her post, Wood shared accounts of photographer Ashley Walters, model Sarah McNeilly, an artist who called herself Gabriella, and many more on her stories. Walters alleged that Manson offered her up for "sexual encounters to please potential collaborators" and "became violent." She was isolated from her loved ones as well. Walters added that she suffered from PTSD as a result.
McNeilly accused the 52-year-old of locking her in rooms. "As a result of the way he treated me, I suffer from mental health issues and PTSD that have affected my personal and professional relationships, self-worth and personal goals," she wrote. "I believe he gets off on ruining people's lives. I stand in support of all that have and all will come forward. I want to see Brian held accountable for his evil."
Wood shared Manson's former personal assistant, Dan Cleary's Twitter thread, posted in September 2020, that stated that the singer would "threaten to kill" Lindsay, who he married in February 2020. "I saw first hand, over & over him being an abusive violent boyfriend to his GF Lindsay. Over the almost 2 year stretch I saw her in tears & him screaming & belittling her more often than I didn’t." Talking about Manson and Wood's relationship, the assistant wrote, "Over the course of 1 year he turned her into a different person. He broke her. I didnt totally realize until later in life."
I then starting working for him as his personal assistant in 2014-2015. I saw first hand, over & over him being an abusive violent boyfriend to his GF Lindsay. Over the almost 2 year stretch I saw her in tears & him screaming & belittling her more often than I didn’t.
— DanCleary (@DanCleary79) September 13, 2020
In an interview with Self in 2019, Wood said, “I used to think being strong was not being affected. And now, to me, being strong is letting it affect you but being able to move past it, and seeing the pain, walking through it, letting it flow through you, and then letting it leave. You can break and still be strong.”
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm2_JCNWTus&ab_channel
https://people.com/tv/evan-rachel-wood-says-marilyn-manson-abused-manipulated-her/
