Lena Dunham Apologizes For Defending "Girls" Writer Against Accusations of Sexual Assault

Many survivors of sexual harassment and assault have come forward in the past month or so, especially those that work in the entertainment industry. And while there's been a resounding message of support from most folks, some people who are close to those accused have been having a hard time coming to grips with the accusations. Though Lena Dunham has previously spoken about her belief that women do not lie about rape, she changed course to stand by Girls writer Murray Miller when he was accused of sexual assault, and people were not thrilled with her.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Miller was accused of sexual assault by actress Aurora Perrineau. Sgt. Salvador Rios of the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Perrineau filed a report regarding the incident and that the police were investigating. Miller denied the accusations, and both Dunham and Girls showrunner Jenni Konner stood by his side in a statement released to The Hollywood Reporter.

The full statement, which can also be seen on The Hollywood Reporter, says, "During the windfall of deeply necessary accusations over the last few months in Hollywood, we have been thrilled to see so many women’s voices heard and dark experiences in this industry justified. It’s a hugely important time of change and, like every feminist in Hollywood and beyond, we celebrate. But during every time of change there are also incidences of the culture, in its enthusiasm and zeal, taking down the wrong targets. We believe, having worked closely with him for more than half a decade, that this is the case with Murray Miller. While our first instinct is to listen to every woman’s story, our insider knowledge of Murray’s situation makes us confident that sadly this accusation is one of the 3 percent of assault cases that are misreported every year. It is a true shame to add to that number, as outside of Hollywood women still struggle to be believed. We stand by Murray and this is all we’ll be saying about this issue."

Understandably, many folks felt it was a hypocritical stance for both Konner and Dunham to take, and reminded her that just because your experiences with a man have been good that doesn't mean he hasn't done wrong to others. However, after backlash online, Dunham apologized in a second tweet that included screenshots from a note app.

The apology included the sentence, "Every woman who comes forward deserves to be heard, fully and completely, and our relationship to the accused should not be a part of the calculation anyone makes when examining her case." Yep, and yep.

Related:

• Terry Crews Reveals Details of Alleged Sexual Assault on Good Morning America
• Emma Watson Tweets Support for Harvey Weinstein's Alleged Sexual Harassment Victims
• Why So Many Sexual Assault Survivors Seem to Come Forward All at Once

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