Last week, Alex Calder was dropped from Captured Tracks after it was revealed that the Canadian musician had been accused of sexual assault. Now, Calder has made a statement in which he acknowledges an assault that took place in 2008.
"In the last year, I have come to understand the sexual encounter I had with this person was non consensual and constituted assault," Calder wrote in a Facebook post today (October 18). "At the time, I had thought that my actions were consensual and now understand that this was not the case. This encounter did not meet the criteria for getting consent. I abused this person, and I have not held myself accountable for this."
Calder was expected to deliver a new self-titled record on October 20. However, his statement also noted that the record's release has been halted indefinitely and that all future live performances have been cancelled, writing, "I have taken a step back from any creative pursuits to start putting my energy into seeking counseling and attending consent training."
He continued: "I want others facing similar experiences to understand the importance of holding themselves accountable for their actions and begin educating themselves. Most importantly, I hope the person that I hurt can begin to heal and that we can collectively start believing survivors and addressing similar accusations very seriously."
Read Calder's complete statement below.
"In the last year, I have come to understand the sexual encounter I had with this person was non consensual and constituted assault," Calder wrote in a Facebook post today (October 18). "At the time, I had thought that my actions were consensual and now understand that this was not the case. This encounter did not meet the criteria for getting consent. I abused this person, and I have not held myself accountable for this."
Calder was expected to deliver a new self-titled record on October 20. However, his statement also noted that the record's release has been halted indefinitely and that all future live performances have been cancelled, writing, "I have taken a step back from any creative pursuits to start putting my energy into seeking counseling and attending consent training."
He continued: "I want others facing similar experiences to understand the importance of holding themselves accountable for their actions and begin educating themselves. Most importantly, I hope the person that I hurt can begin to heal and that we can collectively start believing survivors and addressing similar accusations very seriously."
Read Calder's complete statement below.