nme.com
28.08.2022 / 12:07
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Arcade Fire’s Win Butler accused of sexual misconduct, but denies wrongdoing
This story contains descriptions of attempted suicide and alleged sexual misconduct.Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler has been accused of sexual misconduct by four people, allegations which he denies.In a new investigation from Pitchfork, four people – who were between 18 and 23-years-old at the time of the alleged interactions between 2015 and 2020 and asked to use pseudonyms when sharing their stories – accused Butler of “inappropriate” actions.In a lengthy statement shared with Pitchfork – which you can read in full below – Butler said he was “very sorry to anyone who I have hurt with my behaviour” but that “these relationships were all consensual”.He added: “I fucked up, and while not an excuse, I will continue to look forward and heal what can be healed, and learn from past experiences.”Butler’s wife and Arcade Fire bandmate Régine Chassagne also shared her own statement, in which she said: “I know he has never, and would never, touch a woman without her consent and I am certain he never did.”Included in the story is an allegation from ‘Lily’ (they/them), who alleges that, after meeting him at a concert in Montreal at the start of 2015, Butler touched her non-consensually while in a car, and gave them a kiss that they “I did not ask for”.Lily then alleged that, at a further meeting at their apartment, Butler “pinned me up against the wall and was aggressively grabbing my body and sticking his tongue down my throat” which they say was “so not OK in the context” and referred to as “manipulation”.