Former of Mice & Men Vocalist Austin Carlile Accused of Sexual Assault; Victim Alleges Alternative Press Buried the Story
A woman named Caitlyn Stiffler has taken to social media to slam Alternative Press, accusing the media outlet of burying a story about former Of Mice & Men frontman Austin Carlile sexually assaulting fifteen women:
“Dear Alternative Press,
“Remember when over 15 girls shared their stories with you about this serial rapist? Because I do. I was one of them. Now you want to not only share HIS nonsense, but you want to put his name next to Jesus? No, just, no. It’s not okay.
“The alternative community has followed you for YEARS. I followed your stories so closely all through high school and watched my artist friends be featured by your magazine. To be contacted by you to share my story, in hopes that it wouldn’t keep happening to other girls, felt like a dream. Finally there was something I could do, considering I was told by law enforcement that there was nothing else I could hope for with no physical evidence. I never thought anyone would believe me or take this seriously, then there was your magazine asking us to share.
“He not only raped girls, probably more than anyone even knows about, he was a predator seeking out underage girls by using his position in the music industry to do so. He threatened you with a lawsuit and you backed down. I get it, who would want to be involved in that when you could just… not. That was your choice, a choice none of us had. We can’t just let it go and forget. I for one had hoped that you would at the very least stop featuring him. Guess I was wrong to hope that.
“He needs [to be] CANCELLED. Get him out of these kids’ faces who believe he’s a good person deserving of recognition.”
Stiffler’s husband, Jonathan, also weighed in:
“A few years back, realizing the extent of the damage done, I organized a group of women (MANY) who had been raped or sexually assaulted by Austin Carlile over the years to be interviewed by Alternative Press. I knew him personally, I worked in the scene & I married one of his victims.”
A photographer who says she worked with Of Mice & Men during Carlile’s tenure with the band, Megan Thompson, also backed up Stiffler’s claim:
“[Alternative Press] took statements from MULTIPLE friends like the one below and killed the story. I worked with this band when he was in it, and ‘finding Jesus’ doesn’t make up for how he treated everyone. Stop giving him a platform if you’re not going to believe these women.”
For their part, Alternative Press claim they haven’t run the story for legal reasons, but vow to “reopen” the matter:
“For legal purposes regarding the Austin Carlile accusations, the story couldn’t run as it was told. As a female-led, lgbtq+ editorial staff, we’re going to reopen this & find the answers you’re looking for. We do not condone any of the accusations & this story WILL be heard.”
Finally, the current members of Of Mice & Men have issued their own statement in which they say that “neither the band, nor the team around us, has had any part in suppressing any such article.”
Carlile has yet to respond to the allegations.
[via Lambgoat]
