Woody Allen abuse allegation

[twinkles**stars]

New York (AFP) - The adopted daughter of Woody Allen has spoken for the first time about the alleged sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of the legendary Hollywood director during her childhood.

In an open letter published on a New York Times blog, Dylan Farrow, adopted by Allen during his relationship with actress Mia Farrow, detailed being abused by the director when she was seven years old.

"He told me to lay on my stomach and play with my brother's electric train set. Then he sexually assaulted me," Farrow, 28, wrote in the letter.

"He talked to me while he did it, whispering that I was a good girl, that this was our secret, promising that we'd go to Paris and I'd be a star in his movies."

It is the first time Dylan Farrow has spoken publicly about the unproven allegations of abuse which emerged more than two decades ago in the aftermath of Allen's acrimonious split with Mia Farrow in 1992.

Allen, who left Mia Farrow after starting a relationship with the actress's adopted daughter from a previous marriage, Soon-Yi Previn, has always vigorously denied abusing Dylan Farrow.

A New York judge in the 1994 custody battle between Allen and Farrow ruled that the abuse allegations were inconclusive, while at the same time lambasted the director as "self-absorbed, untrustworthy and insensitive."

Allen's representatives could not be immediately reached for comment on Saturday after Dylan Farrow's revelations. The New York Times reported that he had refused to comment.

His adopted daughter accused the Hollywood establishment of sweeping Allen's alleged crimes under the carpet by continuing to honor his films.

Dylan with her mother Mia Farrow in 1990, two years before the alleged incident. Photo: Getty

The director's latest movie, "Blue Jasmine", is nominated for three Academy Awards at next month's Oscars, including best original screenplay for the director.

Farrow called on three of the stars of "Blue Jasmine" -- Australian actress Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin and Louis C.K. to examine their relationship with Allen, asking pointedly: "What if it had been your child?"

"Woody Allen was never convicted of any crime. That he got away with what he did to me haunted me as I grew up," she wrote.

"That torment was made worse by Hollywood. All but a precious few (my heroes) turned a blind eye. Most found it easier to accept the ambiguity, to say, 'who can say what happened,' to pretend that nothing was wrong.

"Actors praised him at awards shows. Networks put him on TV. Critics put him in magazines.

"Woody Allen is a living testament to the way our society fails the survivors of sexual assault and abuse."

[azureline**]

Australia, it is the only country I have any knowledge of legal proceedings.

Very concerning and I used to blindly believe it was otherwise. I suppose it depends on the summing up by the Judge and how the jury understands what he says.

[darksideofthemoon]

I remember when this was first mooted...

Nasty little man, never did like him 

[polocross58]

One of my favourite movies is 'Manhatten Murder Mystery' starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Alan Alda, so I can't say I dislike him based on the little I know about him

This latest bit of news involving Dylan Farrow is a bit odd, imo.   It seems to have sprung from public attacks on Allen a short time earlier when Mia Farrow and her son Ronan (?) also launched public attacks on him during which the latter referred to the allegations about Allen.  And all of it at a time when Allen has been receiving plaudits for his work

Even earlier again, but not that long ago, the media was calling into question Allen's paternity re: son Ronan.  There were strong suggestions (backed by Mia Farrow and her son ?) that Frank Sinatra (Mia Farrow's earlier husband) was Ronan's biological father

As far as I can remember, Mia Farrow's been out of the limelight for close to 20 years.  There were allegations about Allen's allegedly inappropriate behaviours re: Dylan back then, when Farrow and Allen separated.  Then nothing more until recently

Seems very 'coincidental' that Farrow and her children would seek media attention re: those old allegations just now, when Allen is being honoured by those in his profession

Suggests to me that possibly, a money-tap was recently turned off

[cherry*135]

I don't think it is coincidental at all that Dylan Farrow wrote that blog soon after Allen was nominated for his latest Oscar.

So why publish an account of an old case on my blog? Partly because the Golden Globe lifetime achievement award to Allen ignited a debate about the propriety of the award. Partly because the root issue here isn’t celebrity but sex abuse. And partly because countless people on all sides have written passionately about these events, but we haven’t fully heard from the young woman who was at the heart of them. Nicholas Kristof (blog owner)

What money tap was  possibly turned off recently??  Dylan is 28 yo, with a family of her own.

[amber-eyed-girl]

Yes, the daughter does have a family of her own.

Mia Farrow was a film star prior to appearing in Woody's films, and was married to Frank Sinatra, and Andre Previn, both famous in their own right 🙂

The son has an independant life also. He said, as a quip, any of us could be Frank's son, after Mia said it was possible. Downplaying it if anything...

I do not believe that it is related to money at all.

Whatever is the reason, I hope that she has a good life from now on 🙂 and some legal options if she wants her day in court.

[cherry*135]

Ms Farrow says Allen's Golden Globe triumph prompted her to speak out, in the hope that it gives strength to survivors of sexual abuse.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-03/cate-blanchett-responds-to-dylan-farrow-abuse-claims/5233454

[amber-eyed-girl]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2550500/Did-Dylan-Farrow-write-op-ed-Woody-Allens-sex-abuse-...

The prosecutor says Woody Allen can never be charged, it is now too late.

[catsnknots]

I have never liked him.. he has ALWAYS creeped me out... even before I "knew" who he really was. 

[cherry*135]

I read this before amber - the original case could be re-examined perhaps?

The handling of the investigation was criticised at the time after Litchfield County state attorney Frank Maco said at a media conference that he believed Allen was guilty but he dropped the charges to avoid traumatising the young Dylan.

A disciplinary panel found that Maco may have prejudiced the ongoing custody battle between Allen and Mia Farrow by making an accusation without formal charges.

Maco, who retired in 2003, told the Associated Press on Sunday that the statute of limitations on Farrow's accusations ran out at least 15 years ago. He said he hopes Farrow was able to watch his media conference and read his statement about his decision not to prosecute Allen.

"I hope she has access to that statement, to know what I did and why I did it," Maco said. "I hope she finds some peace and solace at this time."

A spokesman for the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice says the case will not be re-examined by the prosecutor's office unless it is asked to do so.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/woody-allen-hits-back-at-disgraceful-sex-abuse-claims-by-d...

[polocross58]

To me, it reeks of sour-grapes on steroids

After all, no-one here knows one way or the other.  What we do know is that when people don't get their own way and are used to getting it  (especially if they're narcissists) they lose control in rage

We also know that in an attempt to extort money or to gain custody, many women coach their children into agreeing they were molested, etc.  And very often, it works

I don't for one minute accept the claim the allegations were made against WA  ' to save, support other children, blah blah '.  Instead, I personally regard it as a jumping-on of the current bandwagon of claims of paedophilia made against high-profile individuals

As I do not accept that  'helping others'  is the true motive for the allegations, I must look for other motivation.  And as WA is a very wealthy individual, I'm led to suspect that WA has refused to buckle to threat or blackmail which has further enraged the accusers

That's how I read it --- my personal take on it

and I suspect it's been onslaught by increments:  first the snide comments about him not being the biological father of one of the offspring on the eve of show-businesses' honouring an elderly WA for lifetime achievements.  Then the open accusation that WA is a child molester to tarnish his reputation utterly at the very moment his peers are lauding him with awards

Whatever the case, the accusers' ace-card has been played.  They've fired their ultimate salvo.  They have nothing left to throw at WA.  They've done their dash

They've put themselves very publicly in the position of having now to put up -- or shut up

How classless to make accusations via a blog

Anyone confident of their case would surely place it in the hands of solicitors instead of airing their claimed dirty-laundry in the public's face

Very tacky.  And to me, reeks of rage, no matter how the attempt's been made to claim this ugly squabble -- at this particular point in time --- is 'to help others'. 

' Help others'  how, one might ask -- help others by creating a media circus with unsubstantiated accusations which were dismissed by the court 20 years ago ?

Put yourselves on the receiving end and think about it.  Any of you who've had any association whatsoever with children in either private or paid capacity, etc. could find yourselves target of unsubstantiated accusations now or in years to come

If there was a case to answer and if the accusers were confident of their case, the last place they'd put that case would be in a blog -- particularly if they had family members who were members of the legal fraternity.  They'd instead take the matter to course and let the law do its job.   In my opinion, when people resort to public accusations instead of putting a matter before the court -- it's because they know the court would not entertain the matter