Evan Rachel Wood Supports Ashley Smithline After Detailing Marilyn Manson's Alleged Abuse
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Editor's Note: On Feb. 23, 2023, almost two years after this article was first published, Ashley Smithline recanted the multiple abuse allegations she'd previously made against Marilyn Manson, including many of those set out here, in a sworn declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Manson's lawyer. Smithline said in her filing that she had been "manipulated" into accusing Manson of psychological, sexual and physical abuse in media interviews and her 2021 lawsuit, and said her previous allegations "contained untrue statements" about the star, "including that there was violence and non-consensual sexual activity."
Evan Rachel Wood is standing by Ashley Morgan Smithline after the model detailed the alleged abuse she faced at the hands of Marilyn Manson.
On Wednesday, the actress — along with several of the other women who have accused Manson of sexual and physical abuse — shared their support after Smithline's story appeared on the cover of PEOPLE.
"I stand with you @ashleylindsaymorgan," Wood, 33, wrote on her Instagram story.
"Thank you for being so brave," added Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco, 38, on her own story.
Manson has denied the women's claims.
Wood and Bianco's posts come after Smithline shared harrowing details of the alleged sexual abuse and torture she faced in her two-year relationship with the shock rocker.
"I'm speaking out to help other women know they can leave their abuser just like I did," Smithline wrote on Instagram. "It's time to erase the stigma around sexual abuse and domestic violence. It's okay to talk about it. For everyone who feels that they've lost themselves to their abuser, you're worth so much more than that. This doesn't define you nor me."
For more on Ashley Morgan Smithline, the abuse she says she faced at the hands of Marilyn Manson and why other survivors have decided to speak out, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
On her post, several of the other women who have accused Manson of abuse also shared their support.
"Proud of you! 🖤" wrote Ashley Walters, who worked as Manson's personal assistant. Some of the other alleged victims, including Sarah McNeilly, also left supportive comments on Smithline's Instagram post.
To PEOPLE, Smithline said she and the other women have built a "sisterhood."
Neilson Barnard/Getty; Jana Cruder; Marion Curtis/Shutterstock
"It's been really cathartic and good for all of us," she said. "It made things a lot easier."
"It was like looking at a room full of myself," Smithline added of meeting with the other women. "All of the abuse, the gaslighting; he just has a very specific pattern."
Listen below to the episode of our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day for more on PEOPLE's cover story with Ashley Morgan Smithline.
Manson has denied the allegations from all of the women, stating in February that "these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality. My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners."
In response to Smithline's specific allegations, a spokesperson for Manson said they "strongly deny her claims," stating that their relationship "didn't last a week."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
