One of Michael Jackson’s abuse accusers has warned the late singer’s new biopic is “triggering” for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Michael Jackson was accused of abuse by James Safechuck
James Safechuck – who claimed in 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland that he was molested by the late singer from the age of 10 until his early teens – has reached out to offer support to those who have been subjected to abuse by a trusted figure in their lives in the wake of the release of Michael, which chronicles the Thriller hitmaker’s journey to pop superstardom.
James wrote in a statement shared with Rolling Stone: “Hi there. I wanted to connect with other survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
“The Michael movie is coming out and it’s getting a lot of promotion and there’s billboards and commercials and people praising Michael. It can be triggering for survivors who have their own Michael in their lives, whether it’s the priest who’s close to God or the sports coach who’s just helping the kids or the step-parent who’s supporting the family.
“Our abusers are praised sometimes, even after we come out and tell the truth.
“And I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone and that there are other survivors out there that understand what you’re going through and that are there with you.”
James urged those who are struggling to “lean into” those who are there to offer support.
He added: “And that if you’re feeling all the feels, then lean into people that are close to you, lean into people that support you and that give you love, and know that you’re not alone. And that telling the truth and telling what happened is a good thing, and that it’s a part of your healing. Alright, I love you, bye.”
Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed has also criticised the portrayal of Michael – who denied allegations of abuse when he was alive – in the film, branding it a “travesty of the truth.
He told Rolling Stone: “Clearly with this movie, a lot more young people are going to discover Michael Jackson and they will come away from this picture probably with the image that he was a very talented performer who was rather nice to children and that is a travesty of the truth.
“Would these people be part of a movie that glorified the films of Harvey Weinstein without ever mentioning that he raped women? Would these people be part of a great promotional film about the charitable works of Jeffrey Epstein?”
