The number of influential entertainers facing allegations of sexual misconduct continues to grow.
Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx is now at the center of controversy following a woman's graphic claims. Reports this week cite the accuser's allegations that he forced himself on her in 2002. The two were in Las Vegas at the time, she claims, and he asked her to perform oral sex on him. With his genitals exposed, she said he slapped her in the face with his penis after she refused his advances. Immediately thereafter, she claims she was told to leave the residence.
Though she apparently did not file a police report at the time, she says she did go to the hospital. Shortly after the incident, she claims she experienced a panic attack related to the alleged sexual battery.
Jamie Foxx issues a stern denial and threatens legal action:
An attorney representing Jamie Foxx was quick to issue a response to the public allegations.
"Jamie emphatically denies that this incident ever occurred," Allison Hart said.
Not only has Jamie Foxx flatly denied the claims, Hart said he also plans to hold the accuser accountable. His lawyer said he expects to file a Las Vegas Police Department report against his accuser.
"The first time [Jamie Foxx] became aware of this woman's absurd claims" was recent media reports, the attorney said. Hart also noted that it took 16 years to come forward. The accuser, however, told reporters that the ongoing #MeToo movement motivated her decision.
"The alleged incident was not reported to law enforcement in 2002," she said. "Or at any other time in the last 16 years until last Friday because the incident never happened."
What happens next for Jamie Foxx and his accuser?
As far as legal recourse, Jamie Foxx is in the clear because of the statute of limitations. In Nevada, that legal limit is just three years, far less than the 16 since this alleged incident occurred.
It remains to be seen if and when Jamie Foxx will follow through with his legal action against the accuser. Another unknown is what impact, if any, these claims will have on his career. A respected and acclaimed performer, his is the latest Hollywood career hit by such allegations.
The #MeToo movement continues to make cultural impacts by exposing an underlying problem.
As with many of the scandals that have surfaced over the past year, Jamie Foxx denies his accuser. We might never know the unvarnished truth about this or any number of other sexual misconduct claims. But one thing is for sure: the current social movement is leading to real change. Abusers, in particular powerful men, are finding that their influence is not enough to silence victims. Unfortunately, there is always the opportunity for individuals to invent cases of abuse for any number of reasons. The sheer number of claims made during the #MeToo era, however, sheds a light on a larger problem. Click here to find out more about the ongoing effort to expose abusers.
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