Compelled by the recent revelations regarding Harvey Weinstein and other devious predators, thousands of survivors have shared openly shared their stories of sexual assault and/or harassment. That includes Björk, who recently revealed her experiences with a Danish movie director. Though Björk did not specify the director by name, his country of origin led many to speculate that Björk was referencing Lars Von Trier, who she worked with on the 2000 film, Dancer in the Dark. In his own statement released Monday, Von Trier denied he sexually harassed Björk, saying simply, “that wasn’t the case.” However, the Icelandic singer has now taken to Facebook to further detail her experiences with the Danish director.
“It feels extremely difficult to come out with something of this nature into the public, Björk writes, “especially when immediately ridiculed by offenders. I fully sympathise with everyone who hesitates, even for years. But i feel it is the right time especially now when it could make a change.
Björk goes on to list “the encounters that I think count as sexual harassment,” including frequent episodes of unwanted touching and “paralysing unwanted whispered sexual offers from him with graphic descriptions.” At one point, Björk recounts, the director threatened to climb from his hotel room into hers “with a clear sexual intention,” forcing Björk to seek refuge in a friend’s room.
As if there is any doubt who she is talking about, Björk also notes the “fabricated stories in the press about me being difficult,” which is what Von Trier and his producing partner alleged at the time. “I didn’t comply or agree [to] being sexually harassed,” Björk concludes. “If being difficult is standing up to being treated like that, I’ll own it.”
Read her full statement below.
