Who is Ashley Walters? Marilyn Manson's ex-assistant sues him for sexual assault, battery: 'I was his property'
There seems to be no end in sight for Marilyn Manson's troubles. The gothic rock musician was accused of sexual harassment by a dozen women in the last few months, including actress Evan Rachel Wood and ‘Game of Thrones’ star Esme Bianco. It is now the singer’s former assistant who is suing Manson for sexual assault, battery and harassment.
According to The Cut, the woman identified as Ashley Walters filed a complaint on Tuesday, May 18, in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, alleging that the 52-year-old crooner was a terrifying boss who had violent outbursts. According to the complaint, he made Walters work for 48 hours straight and told his pals they could kiss and grope her. Manson was dropped by his talent agency and his manager when Bianco claimed that she was sexually assaulted, whipped and electrocuted over the course of her two-year-long relationship with the singer. The singer is now under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for alleged domestic violence.
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Who is Marilyn Manson's accuser Ashley Walters?
Walters is a photographer who worked with Manson after he reached out to her in 2010. Walters’ Instagram bio reveals she is a “Picture taker. Traveler. Cinephile. Music lover. Survivor.” The 37-year-old artist had first accused Manson in February 2021 where she posted a detailed account of what exactly happened with her. In her statement, Walters revealed that Manson had invited her to collaborate on a photo shoot and as a fan of his work, she was initially "excited for the opportunity". She was 26 at the time. However, things soon spiraled down as she claimed that the singer-songwriter got close to her in order to gain information so that he could psychologically abuse her.
‘It made me feel like I was his property’
According to The Cut, the complaint filed by Walters reveals she first visited Manson’s West Hollywood home to look at his paintings and talk about art. However, after making her stay a little longer, he took her photographs in the name of “provocative art”. Walters revealed that she kept her bra on and after the photoshoot finished Manson pushed her on his bed, pinned her down and tried to kiss her. The complaint also states how Walters lived in constant fear of his angry outbursts. He even once mailed her a photo of Bianco’s cut up back with the subject line: “See what happens?” Walters told The Cut, “You just put your head down and you’re in survival mode. At the time I felt isolated like I couldn’t go anywhere.”
The lawsuit also focuses on how Manson introduced her to his influential industry friends and associates. The singer, whose real name is Brian Hughes Walker, expected Walters to please his friends, whether that meant bringing them food, flirting with them or letting them touch her. Citing one example, she mentioned how at an award show in September 2010 Manson “pushed Walters onto the lap of an actor and bragged that he could ‘have her,’”. The lawsuit reads. “The actor proceeded to kiss Walters and keep her on his lap.” On another occasion, Manson introduced her to a director who repeatedly groped Walters and shoved his hand up her skirt while covering her mouth. Speaking on the same, she told The Cut, “It made me feel like I was his property. It just made me feel like a piece of meat.”
‘I couldn’t sit by and let this happen to anyone else’
It was Wood’s harrowing testimony against the singer that prompted Walters to take some action against what she experienced. Walters had not heard about the details but she knew Wood was talking about Manson as the torture details sounded exactly the same. Also, Wood and Bianco reached out to her in the fall of 2020 and they all began sharing stories. She said, “A lot of the isolation and a lot of the psychological abuse was very similar to what I experienced.” She added, “Once I realized how many people had been affected, I couldn’t sit by and let this happen to anyone else. My end goal is just to hold him accountable.”