The comedian released a statement regarding an allegation made by a photographer after the two went on a date last year.
After being accused of "aggressive" sexual behavior that left a woman feeling "violated," Aziz Ansari has released a statement regarding the allegation.
"In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual," Ansari's statement read
The statement continues, "The next day, I got a text from her saying that although 'it may have seemed okay,' upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said."
"I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue," he concluded, seemingly referencing the #MeToo movement as well as #TimesUp, which he supported at the Golden Globes, wearing both all black and the pin.
The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, shared her story with the website Babe. According to the 23-year-old photographer, she met the 34-year-old Master of None star at an Emmys party in September 2017 and then went on a date with him in New York City about a week later. After dinner, the two returned to his apartment where they engaged in sexual activity, which she says left her feeling "violated."
She claims she gave verbal and non-verbal cues that she no longer wished to engage in sexual activity. “I know I was physically giving off cues that I wasn’t interested. I don’t think that was noticed at all, or if it was, it was ignored.”
After telling Ansari she felt "uncomfortable" and didn't "want to feel forced" to do anything, she claims she ultimately "felt really pressured" to engage in further sexual activity.
The next day, the woman texted Ansari about her concerns. "It may have seemed okay. But I didn't feel good at all," she wrote.
Ansari appears to respond in a screengrab provided by the woman, apologizing for the alleged misunderstanding. "I'm so sad to hear this," the text reads. "All I can say is, it would never be my intention to make you or anyone feel the way you described. Clearly, I misread thing in the moment and I'm truly sorry.".
The accusation against Ansari comes one week after the Time's Up movement kicked into high gear at the Golden Globes.
For more on Time's Up, watch the video below.
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