FKA Twigs stood up for herself and survivors of intimate-partner violence in her first television interview discussing her allegations against ex Shia LaBeouf. The critically acclaimed musical artist detailed her accusations against the actor, whom she dated for almost a year after they met while filming his movie Honey Boy. But she is done answering questions that place the blame on victims. When CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King asked “Why didn’t you leave?,†Twigs hardly dignified it with an answer. “I’m just gonna make a stance and say that I’m not gonna answer that question anymore, because the question should really be to the abuser: Why are you holding someone hostage with abuse?†she educated. “And people say, ‘Oh, it can’t have been that bad or else you would’ve left.’ No, it’s because it was that bad I couldn’t leave.â€
LaBeouf denied her allegations in a statement to the New York Times, in which he also admitted he has been “abusive to himself and everyone around†him. “It just reminds me of some of the gaslighting that I experienced when I was with him,†Twigs responded. “The sort of taking some of the blame, but not all of it, and then denying it.†Twigs said coming forward with her experience and filing a lawsuit against LaBeouf is all toward making sure other victims of abuse know they aren’t alone. “The result, for me, is already happening,†she said. “I just couldn’t carry it anymore. I felt like I was cracking, whereas now I feel like I’ve handed back his dysfunction back to him, and it’s his.â€