On the heels of more allegations of sexual misconduct made by former model Charlotte Waters earlier this week, Terry Richardson has broken his silence. The photographer sent a letter to “Page Six,” defending himself against what he calls, “false,” “hate-filled,” and “libelous” allegations and “an emotionally-charged witch hunt.”
He writes:
I chose to primarily ignore a cycle of Internet gossip and false accusations against me . . . I felt that to dignify them with a response was a betrayal of my work and my character . . . I collaborated with consenting adult women who were fully aware of the nature of the work, and as is typical with any project, everyone signed releases . . . I have never used an offer of work or a threat of rebuke to coerce someone into something that they did not want to do. I give everyone that I work with enough respect to view them as having ownership of their free will and making their decisions accordingly.
It will be interesting to see whether the companies and magazines that employ him weigh in on the situation as it unfolds.