Arcade Fire Frontman Win Butler Defends Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Arcade Fireplace Frontman Win Butler Defends Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Arcade Fireplace vocalist and guitarist Win Butler has been accused of sexual misconduct starting from nonconsensual sexting to sexual assault by three ladies and a gender-fluid fourth individual. Butler acknowledged these extramarital relationships, however disputed particulars of their nature in certainly one of two written statements he issued to the outlet denying any nonconsensual contact and apologizing a number of occasions within the different.

His Arcade Fireplace bandmate and spouse of 19 years, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Régine Chassagne, backed Butler in a written assertion of her personal.

The three ladies, Stella, Sarah and Fiona (who requested the usage of pseudonyms in Pitchfork’s report), “made allegations of sexual interactions with Butler that they came to feel were inappropriate given the gaps in age, power dynamics, and context in which they occurred.”

They have been “devoted Arcade Fire fans” ranging in age from 18 to 23 when their interactions with Butler started—stated interactions overlapped from 2016 to 2020, when Butler was between 36 and 39 years previous.

The fourth individual, Lily (additionally a pseudonym), alleges that Butler sexually assaulted them twice in 2015—as soon as after they have been in a automobile collectively, and a second time when he allegedly confirmed as much as their condominium in opposition to their needs—after they have been 21 and he was 34.

Butler maintains that “every single one of these interactions [was] mutual and always between consenting adults. It is deeply revisionist, and frankly just wrong, for anyone to suggest otherwise.”

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Lily And Butler Shared Their Expertise With Their Variations

Lily and Butler’s accounts of their relationship differ extensively: Lily, who was conscious Butler was married, and who “had a long-term partner at the time” themselves, maintains that “their interactions were friendly, not flirtatious,” whereas Butler’s account is of a mutual attraction.

Whereas driving Lily house from dinner, Butler allegedly “stuck his hands into their pants without consent,” a touching of their crotch Lily acknowledged could have been “through their pants rather than […] inside,” however characterised as “very aggressive.”

Butler maintained that their kissing was “definitely mutual,” ”[Lily] by no means requested [him] to depart, and [he] by no means berated [them].” Lily got here to view these encounters as sexual assaults. “I would never assault anyone and I did not assault [Lily],” Butler instructed Pitchfork.

Learn Butler and Chassagne’s statements under, and the complete report at Pitchfork.

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Assertion from Win Butler:

I really like Régine with all of my coronary heart. We now have been collectively for twenty years, she is my accomplice in music and in life, my soulmate and I'm fortunate and grateful to have her by my aspect. However at occasions, it has been tough to stability being the daddy, husband, and bandmate that I wish to be. At this time I wish to clear the air about my life, poor judgment, and errors I've made.

I've had consensual relationships exterior of my marriage.

There isn't a straightforward approach to say this, and the toughest factor I've ever performed is having to share this with my son. Nearly all of these relationships have been brief lived, and my spouse is conscious – our marriage has, previously, been more unconventional than some. I've related with individuals in individual, at exhibits, and thru social media, and I've shared messages of which I'm not proud. Most significantly, each single certainly one of these interactions has been mutual and at all times between consenting adults. It's deeply revisionist, and albeit simply fallacious, for anybody to recommend in any other case.

I've by no means touched a lady in opposition to her will, and any implication that I've is just false. I vehemently deny any suggestion that I compelled myself on a lady or demanded sexual favors. That merely, and unequivocally, by no means occurred.

Whereas these relationships have been all consensual, I'm very sorry to anybody who I've damage with my habits. Life is crammed with great ache and error, and I by no means wish to be a part of inflicting another person’s ache.

I've lengthy struggled with psychological well being points and the ghosts of childhood abuse. In my 30s, I began ingesting as I handled the heaviest despair of my life after our household skilled a miscarriage. None of that is meant to excuse my habits, however I do wish to give some context and share what was occurring in my life round this time. I now not acknowledged myself or the individual I had change into. Régine waited patiently watching me undergo and tried to assist me as finest as she might. I do know it will need to have been so exhausting for her to observe the individual she cherished so misplaced.

I've been working exhausting on myself – not out of concern or disgrace, however as a result of I'm a human being who desires to enhance regardless of my flaws and harm. I’ve spent the previous couple of years since Covid hit attempting to save lots of that a part of my soul. I've put vital time and power into remedy and therapeutic, together with attending AA. I'm more conscious now of how my public persona can distort relationships even when a state of affairs feels pleasant and optimistic to me. I'm very grateful to Régine, my household, my expensive associates, and my therapist, who've helped me again from the abyss that I felt sure at occasions would devour me. The bond I share with my bandmates and the extremely deep connection I’ve made with an viewers by way of sharing music has actually saved my life.

As I look to the long run, I'm persevering with to study from my errors and dealing exhausting to change into a greater individual, somebody my son might be pleased with. I say to you all my associates, household, to anybody I've damage and to the individuals who love my music and are shocked and disenchanted by this report: I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the ache I brought about – I’m sorry I wasn’t more conscious and tuned in to the impact I've on individuals – I fucked up, and whereas not an excuse, I'll proceed to look ahead and heal what might be healed, and study from previous experiences. I can do higher and I'll do higher.

Assertion from Régine Chassagne:

Win is my soulmate, my songwriting accomplice, my husband, the daddy of my lovely boy. He has been my accomplice in life and in music for 20 years. And for all the love in our lives, I've additionally watched him undergo by way of immense ache. I've stood by him as a result of I do know he is an effective man who cares about this world, our band, his followers, associates, and our household. I’ve identified Win since earlier than we have been “famous,” once we have been simply unusual faculty college students. I do know what's in his coronary heart, and I do know he has by no means, and would by no means, contact a lady with out her consent and I'm sure he by no means did. He has misplaced his manner and he has discovered his manner again. I really like him and love the life we have now created collectively.

Win Butler, Arcade Fireplace Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Arcade Fireplace,

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