This week, twelve more women have come forward with allegations of sexual assault against Justin Sane, former frontman of the punk band Anti-Flag. The accusations follow on from the initial allegations that were made in July when a woman claimed on a podcast that she had been raped by an unnamed punk singer.
In light of the new accusations, Sane’s ex-bandmates released a statement in which they addressed both the allegations and the disbandment of the band. They wrote, “A core tenet of the band Anti-Flag is to listen to and believe all survivors of sexual violence and abuse. The recent allegations about Justin are in direct contradiction to that tenet. Therefore, we felt the only immediate option was to disband.”
The band went on to thank the twelve women for their courage in coming forward, while also addressing Justin Sane with a powerful message. They wrote, “To Justin, we believe you are very sick and in need of serious professional help. We want to have compassion and have faith in restorative justice, but fuck you for hurting so many people, not just the ones who have bravely come forward, but anyone still carrying their pain internally.”
The band also acknowledged that they had been deceived and kept in the dark for the entirety of their association with Justin Sane. They added, “As more details have been shared since the release of the podcast, we have been waiting for Justin to do the right thing. Given his lack of contrition in any meaningful way, it is very clear that he is absolutely not the person we were led to believe him to be.”
The Rolling Stone report also included allegations from numerous other women, some of whom claim their encounters with Sane were violent and non-consensual. One of these incidents allegedly involved a 12-year-old (though Sane was a teenager at the time).
In response to the allegations, Anti-Flag stated, “We trusted everyone associated with the band to maintain a safe and respectful environment. The understanding that abusers can be anywhere further reinforces the importance of survivors speaking out and sharing their stories. […] Further, we feel strongly that all predators must atone for their inappropriate actions and be held accountable.”
Justin Sane has yet to respond to any of the allegations. For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, people are encouraged to visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, RAINN is a great resource.
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