Evan Rachel Wood has spoken often, and on the record, about abuse that she suffered at the hands of a previously-unamed ex-boyfriend. Today, via an Instagram post, she confirmed what many suspected: that she was referring to her ex-finance Marilyn Manson.
Wood shared via Instagram, “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.”
As Vanity Fair notes, Wood has very publically spoken about a past abusive relationship as part of testimonies for sexual assault and domestic violence laws. She testified before a House Judiciary Subcommittee in 2018 in support of the passage of the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights in the United States. In 2019, she testified before California State legislators regarding the Phoenix Act, which extended the statute of limitations to report domestic violence from one to five years.
Wood has never publically named Manson as her abuser until now. Wood and Manson were in a relationship from 2007 to 2010 during which they were engaged before their eventual split.
Along with Wood, Vanity Fair also published statements of four additional women who have come forward following Wood’s statement accusing Manson of abusive behavior.