CONTENT WARNING: The following story discusses allegations of sexual misconduct involving a minor, as well as suicide.
Suicide Silence frontman Eddie Hermida has apologised to a woman who accused him of “emotionally and sexually manipulating” her when she was 17 and he was 32.
The deathcore singer says he feels “ashamed”, and says he believed Austrian fan Verena Celis was 18 at the time of their exchanges, which allegedly involved him both sending and soliciting nude photos from her.
In a lengthy statement recorded by Metal Injection before she deleted her Twitter account, Celis reportedly agreed that Hermida was never inappropriate with her when he believed her to be underage, but things turned sexual when he mistakenly thought she’d turned 18.
“…He for some reason just assumed I turned 18 and I was scared to say I was still only 17,” she claimed.
“He started flirting and sending suggestive pictures of himself. I was in shock. He toyed with me and manipulated me into sending him nudes, which I was totally against. But hey, if your idol wants nudes, you send them. That’s what I thought back then. Totally forgetting he was 32 at the time.”
Posting screenshots of some of their early conversations, which allegedly took place when she was just 16, Celis claimed Hermida’s alleged emotional and psychological abuse ultimately drove her to attempt suicide.
Now, in his response to the allegations, Hermida has not only apologised, but has also urged Suicide Silence fans to “abstain from ridiculing, ostracizing, or otherwise harassing this young woman”.
“I apologize, first and foremost, to Verena, that she feels hurt, manipulated, and otherwise distressed by any of our past communication,” he writes. “I want to apologize to the people who support my work as a musician (both the fans and behind the scenes) for the discomfort, distrust, and damage these allegations have caused.”
His statement continues:
“When Verena told me she’d turned 18, I believed her. I made it clear that our conversations should not be of a sexual nature until that time. However I have learned the lesson, the hard way, that it was wrong to engage in any kind of intimate conversations with someone so much younger than me.
I was raised by a single mom who taught me to be respectful to all women. I am ashamed that I have failed. I hope to earn the respect and approval of our fans and to prove that I am not the person this would seem to suggest.
Now more than ever, the responsibility falls on men to be mindful of our words and actions with people, and to listen to the voices of those who come forward, with respect and dignity.”
The accusations against Hermida are the latest in an explosion of sexual misconduct claims to be levelled at men across the entertainment industry. In the past week alone, the music world has seen alleged victims come forward to level accusations of sexual misconduct against members of Brand New, Pierce The Veil and Sydney’s With Confidence.
Read Eddie Hermida’s full statement below.
If you need assistance, 1800 RESPECT – the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service — can be reached on 1800 737 732.
For help or information regarding mental health, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
Incidents involving solicitation of child exploitation material can be reported to police via 000.
Eddie Hermida Statement
I apologize, first and foremost, to Verena, that she feels hurt, manipulated, and otherwise distressed by any of our past communication. I want to apologize to the people who support my work as a musician (both the fans and behind the scenes) for the discomfort, distrust, and damage these allegations have caused.
Most importantly, I would ask the music community to abstain from ridiculing, ostracizing, or otherwise harassing this young woman. It’s difficult enough for women to come forward with allegations about the behavior of men under any circumstances.
When Verena told me she’d turned 18, I believed her. I made it clear that our conversations should not be of a sexual nature until that time. However I have learned the lesson, the hard way, that it was wrong to engage in any kind of intimate conversations with someone so much younger than me.
I was raised by a single mom who taught me to be respectful to all women. I am ashamed that I have failed. I hope to earn the respect and approval of our fans and to prove that I am not the person this would seem to suggest.
Now more than ever, the responsibility falls on men to be mindful of our words and actions with people, and to listen to the voices of those who come forward, with respect and dignity.
I am here and I am listening.
