Vin Diesel sued for alleged sexual battery by assistant.
Entertainment
Famous actor accused of sexual battery at home
Vin Diesel has been accused by his assistant from sexual battery in 2010. The allegation was reportedly made in January 2019 that the 47-year-old actor groped her without consent in his Los Angeles home.
Diesel had previously denied any wrongdoing in an interview with NPR that year.
According to TMZ, the actress, identified only by her last name, claims that Diesel "grabbed [her] breasts and penis." She says she tried to step away and that "he put [his] hand over my mouth and started kissing me." The woman also claims to have suffered a broken nose and knee in the attack.
She said she didn't want to press charges because "the guy was famous and I am not famous."
The case against Diesel's rep follows similar accusations of sexual misconduct at the film premiere of his movie "Bloodshot," where he was accused of inappropriate behavior towards the women. He's defended himself on all fronts, saying the woman had a history of physical altercations and claimed she was under the influence of drugs at the time.
Although the two cases are distinct, their victims share similarities. In both instances, they were women who say they were assaulted by men in positions of power, and neither case is resolving. A recent study found that the chances of being raped or sexually assaulted as a woman increases exponentially after turning 30. That statistic has led some experts and celebrities alike to call for greater awareness and action regarding sexual harassment and assault.
In the wake of those studies, Diesel has faced mounting scrutiny over his past actions. "I don't believe anyone deserves to be attacked and hurt," says Diesel in a statement to People magazine about his most recent allegation. "If this happens again, it will be dealt with."
Many people hailed Diesel as an inspiration for his courageous decision to speak out about his struggles. "He's shown that even if he was wronged, you can still stand up for yourself," says actress Jennifer Lawrence, who worked alongside Diesel on the set of Bloodshot. "He chose to take responsibility for what happened instead of just moving on from it. I think we should all learn from him," she adds.
Despite the backlash from his fans, Diesel seems determined to continue working in the entertainment industry. He last week announced that he would be reprising his role as Vin Diesel in the DC Extended Universe movie Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which will hit theaters later this year. This news brings us full circle.
