Melissa Schuman, a former member of pop girl group Dream, has accused Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter of raping her when she was just 18.
In a post on her personal blog, Schuman details the encounter, which allegedly took place in 2002 during an off-day while she and then 22-year-old Carter were filming a TV movie together. Schuman and her roommate went to Carter's apartment for a "casual hangout," and at one point, Carter led Schuman into his office to play her music he was working on.
Schuman says that the pair kissed "naturally," but she became uncomfortable when Carter led her into the bathroom. She notes that Carter was aware that she was a virgin and that she held religiously conservative values. Despite her protests that she didn't want things to progress past kissing, Schuman claims that Carter unbuttoned her pants and performed oral sex on her.
When somebody in the house knocked on the door, Schuman says Carter took her to another bathroom, where he forced her to perform oral sex on him. She claims that Carter then took her to his bedroom, threw her on his bed and raped her, despite her protests that she was "saving myself for my future husband."
Schuman says that Carter repeatedly called her after the incident, leaving messages demanding that she call her back. She didn't pick up or call back, and after a final "nasty, angry message," he stopped calling.
Schuman later signed with Carter's manager and the two crossed paths when they were scheduled to perform a duet at a label showcase. After the performance, Schuman says she didn't hear from her manager for weeks, claiming that "he was no longer interested in working for me and I couldn't help but wonder if Nick had any influence in it."
The former Dream singer claims that shortly after the alleged assault, she considered pressing charges, but was told that Carter's legal team was too powerful to take on in court. She writes, "I was told I would likely be buried in humiliation, accused of being fame hungry, and it would ultimately hurt me professionally as well as publicly."
Schuman also notes that while she's been open about the incident with her therapist, friends and family over the years, she still didn't feel comfortable sharing her story publicly in the wake of allegations that emerged following the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Instead, she says it was the comments on a Radar Online article doubting the validity of another accuser's story that inspired her to publish her own experience.
Read Schuman's full post here.
UPDATE (11/22, 10:35 a.m. EST): Carter has now issued a statement in response to the allegations. Via TMZ, he wrote, "I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman's accusations. Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual. We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally.
"This is the first that I am hearing about these accusations, nearly two decades later. It is contrary to my nature and everything I hold dear to intentionally cause someone discomfort or harm."
In a post on her personal blog, Schuman details the encounter, which allegedly took place in 2002 during an off-day while she and then 22-year-old Carter were filming a TV movie together. Schuman and her roommate went to Carter's apartment for a "casual hangout," and at one point, Carter led Schuman into his office to play her music he was working on.
Schuman says that the pair kissed "naturally," but she became uncomfortable when Carter led her into the bathroom. She notes that Carter was aware that she was a virgin and that she held religiously conservative values. Despite her protests that she didn't want things to progress past kissing, Schuman claims that Carter unbuttoned her pants and performed oral sex on her.
When somebody in the house knocked on the door, Schuman says Carter took her to another bathroom, where he forced her to perform oral sex on him. She claims that Carter then took her to his bedroom, threw her on his bed and raped her, despite her protests that she was "saving myself for my future husband."
Schuman says that Carter repeatedly called her after the incident, leaving messages demanding that she call her back. She didn't pick up or call back, and after a final "nasty, angry message," he stopped calling.
Schuman later signed with Carter's manager and the two crossed paths when they were scheduled to perform a duet at a label showcase. After the performance, Schuman says she didn't hear from her manager for weeks, claiming that "he was no longer interested in working for me and I couldn't help but wonder if Nick had any influence in it."
The former Dream singer claims that shortly after the alleged assault, she considered pressing charges, but was told that Carter's legal team was too powerful to take on in court. She writes, "I was told I would likely be buried in humiliation, accused of being fame hungry, and it would ultimately hurt me professionally as well as publicly."
Schuman also notes that while she's been open about the incident with her therapist, friends and family over the years, she still didn't feel comfortable sharing her story publicly in the wake of allegations that emerged following the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Instead, she says it was the comments on a Radar Online article doubting the validity of another accuser's story that inspired her to publish her own experience.
Read Schuman's full post here.
UPDATE (11/22, 10:35 a.m. EST): Carter has now issued a statement in response to the allegations. Via TMZ, he wrote, "I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman's accusations. Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual. We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally.
"This is the first that I am hearing about these accusations, nearly two decades later. It is contrary to my nature and everything I hold dear to intentionally cause someone discomfort or harm."
