A Tumblr post accusing indie rocker Conor Oberst of sexually assaulting an underaged person has gone viral — prompting his reps to release a statement refuting the allegations.
The Tumblr post is actually reblogging comments left, then deleted on an xoJane article about an abusive relationship with an unnamed rockstar.
One commenter describes her alleged experience — not naming Oberst in her first comment. She simply claims:
“I was 16 years old, he was in his 20s. No one believed me (he wasn’t even that famous then). No one believed me because I had been his biggest fan for several years at that point, his pictures covered my locker, etc. I guess when I made the accusation, everyone thought it was some sick twisted way to get … I don’t know, closer to him? My own mother didn’t believe me until recently and it’s 10 years later now.”
In a later comment, she adds:
“My husband suggests I may feel some empowerment by outing my rapist. It was Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes (and several other bands/side projects he fronts, bright eyes being the most popular). I hope you are right about helping the next girl but I’m waiting for the backlash.”
The comment has since been deleted, but Oberst’s management was forced to address the social media controversy, saying in a statement:
“Usually we wouldn’t feel the urge to comment on spurious blog chatter but the recent allegations made about Conor Oberst by an anonymous commenter on the xoJane website are flagrant enough to demand our response. This individual’s accusations are absolutely, unequivocally false.”
Oberst’s reps continue:
“Unfortunately, the internet allows for groundless statements like this to travel the world before the truth has any time to surface. This is a particularly serious and sickening allegation and there is no truth to it. Conor has nothing but abhorrence for the perpetrators of such crimes of sexual violence.”
They conclude:
“The behavior attributed to him by this individual is in direct opposition to his principles. Conor is consulting with a libel attorney regarding this matter.”
Stereogum reports that the commenter started her own Tumblr account to address her claims about Conor Oberst, which has since been deleted.
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