Twelve more women have come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct against Justin Sane, frontman of the now broken-up punk band Anti-Flag.
The allegations, which include sexual assault and statutory rape, are detailed in a report by Rolling Stone. Of the 12 women Rolling Stone spoke to, seven said they were teenagers during their encounters with Sane, born Justin Geever. Another said she was 12 when she had sexual encounters with Geever, who was 17 at the time.
Rolling Stone also speaks to Kristina Sarhadi, who confirms it was Geever she was talking about in an episode of the podcast enough., during which she said she was raped by the singer of an unnamed “political punk band.” Amid speculation that the allegation was about Geever, Anti-Flag announced on July 19 that the group had disbanded without any other details or context.
A longer statement came on July 26, in which Geever denied allegations of sexual assault as “categorically false.”
“I have never engaged in a sexual relationship that was not consensual, nor have I ever been approached by a woman after a sexual encounter and been told I had in any way acted without her consent or violated her in any way,” he added.
Geever didn’t respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment on the new allegations. The other three Anti-Flag members — drummer Pat Thetic, guitarist Chris Head and bassist Chris “No. 2” Barker — tell Rolling Stone, “We trusted everyone associated with the band to maintain a safe and respectful environment” and said trust has “wholly been broken.”
“The understanding that abusers can be anywhere further reinforces the importance of survivors speaking out and sharing their stories,” they say. “Further, we feel strongly that all predators must atone for their inappropriate actions and be held accountable.”
If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.
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