Source: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for HBO/HRC/WENN.com
On Monday stand up-comedian and Insecure star Amanda Seales publicly came forward to accuse Myron Rolle, a former NFL star, turned neurosurgeon resident, of sexual harassment.
But now Rolle is denying all accusations and also questioned Seales’ character in a public statement he released Thursday on Instagram.
“I understand that in today’s world the responsibility falls on the ‘accused’ to prove themselves innocent, as opposed to ones alleged “accuser” having to prove their claims before going public. Unfortunately, I have found myself victim to these very circumstances,” Rolle began.
Before Seales named Rolle, she spoke of her experience with him on two occasions, once on an episode of her podcast Small Doses, and again during a recent appearance on the The Breakfast Club. Seales claimed she received inappropriate direct messages from Rolle after speaking with him over the phone. Seales also said that at least eight women contacted her to share their experiences with Rolle. One claimed Rolle met her at the door of his hotel room naked and then shamed her when she turned down his advances.
In Rolle’s response, he distances himself from Seales and also claims the women who came forward also made false allegations.
“A blogger/online personality, whom I have never met in person and have only interacted with once via phone, recently claimed that I verbally harassed her during a phone call exchange. She furthered these claims by stating that anonymous sources have come forward and added their accounts to her narrative,” he wrote. Rolle labels Seales’ accusations as, “acts of bullying, intimidation and retaliation.”
“I have been raised to respect women and to also keep my personal affairs private, as that is the respectful thing to do,” he wrote. “However, I will not sit idly by and allow someone to engage in intentional character assassination simply because I did not return their advances or wish to engage in a relationship as they may have wanted.”
He concludes by saying that Seales’ allegations should be taken seriously and thanks his supporters.
Seales has not yet responded to Rolle’s statement as she’s still promoting her HBO special and numerous business ventures, but in the current climate of what has transpired in the era of #MeToo and #TimesUp, survivors still deserve a space to be heard and believed.
On Wednesday Seales thanked everyone who checked in on her after she revealed her alleged experience.
“Thank you all for your concern on my safety after speaking out about somebody who a lot of woman have said treated them in a way that made them feel uncomfortable and was problematic,” she said. You simply can’t be complicit to protecting yourself when you have information that can protect others and that innately puts you in danger. But that’s just kind of part of the job.”
