Russell Simmons Sued by Drew Dixon for Alleging Sexual Assault Accusers Have “Thirst for Fame”

Russell Simmons has been sued for defaming the previous Def Jam Recordings government Drew Dixon, who accused him, in 2017, of sexual assault. The lawsuit cites a Graham Bensinger interview final December wherein Simmons, who has denied assault allegations by Dixon and different girls, urged accusers may “need notoriety available in the market the place individuals thirst for fame.”

Dixon filed her lawsuit yesterday (February 15) in a New York state courtroom. She alleges, within the lawsuit, that, in 1995, Simmons invited her to his residence to take heed to a demo CD, however proceeded to “violently rape her.” After leaving Def Jam for Arista Information, Dixon says L.A. Reid sexually assaulted her in 2001—a declare she pursued final November in a separate lawsuit.

The brand new lawsuit describes Dixon as “one among many ladies who whereas pursuing a profession within the music trade was disrupted, derailed, and broken for the remainder of her life because of her horrible experiences by the hands of Mr. Simmons.” Greater than 20 girls have accused Simmons of sexual harassment or assault, it provides.

Talking out concerning the assaults has “put [Dixon] again within the crosshairs of her abusers’ sphere of affect,” in keeping with the lawsuit. In the Graham Bensinger interview, Simmons claimed that solely six individuals had leveled allegations, that accusers had “modified the that means” of rape, and that each one of his relationships had been consensual. He additionally insinuated that “there was maybe a collaboration” between accusers. The lawsuit argues that these claims “have the impact of speaking that Ms. Dixon was mendacity about Mr. Simmons being violent with Ms. Dixon,” damaging her fame each in music and “as an activist advocate on behalf of victims of intercourse abuse and harassment within the music and leisure trade.”

The lawsuit concludes, partially, “By casting aspersions on her credibility publicly amongst his highly effective cohort of fellow moguls, Mr. Simmons has made it unattainable for Ms. Dixon to make a residing at a stage commensurate together with her expertise, observe report, and coaching. Her fears of ostracization and retribution when she was first assaulted have been totally realized.”

Dixon is requesting “punitive and exemplary damages,” in addition to her prices related to the lawsuit. So as to win, she might want to show her case “by a preponderance of the proof,” that means that the actual fact in dispute is extra seemingly than not.

In a press release shared with Pitchfork, one among Drew Dixon’s attorneys, Sigrid S. McCawley, mentioned:

Ms. Dixon has taken sufficient abuse. Not solely was she violently raped by Russell Simmons—profoundly disrupting her private {and professional} life—however after she tried to maneuver ahead and heal, he then additional abused her by publicly proclaiming that she lied concerning the rape in the hunt for “fame.” Mr. Simmons has used his public platform to re-traumatize and terrorize Ms. Dixon, and the time has now come to carry him accountable for his defamatory statements and to finish this cycle of abuse.

Pitchfork has additionally reached out to representatives for Russell Simmons for remark.

For those who or somebody you realize has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to succeed in out for assist:

RAINN Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline
http://rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)

Disaster Textual content Line
SMS: Textual content “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741