FKA twigs has filed a lawsuit accusing Shia LaBeouf, her former boyfriend, of physical, mental, and emotional abuse, according to a report in The New York Times.
The report goes into detail about the allegations and also includes comments from twigs explaining why she’s chosen to come forward. “What I went through with Shia was the worst thing I’ve ever been through in the whole of my life,” twigs told the Times. “I’d like to be able to raise awareness on the tactics that abusers use to control you and take away your agency.”
Speaking about the relationship, twigs explained how she was made to feel isolated and unable to leave. The report reads, ““The whole time I was with him, I could have bought myself a business-flight plane ticket back to my four-story townhouse in Hackney,” in London, she said. And yet she didn’t. “He brought me so low, below myself, that the idea of leaving him and having to work myself back up just seemed impossible,” she said.”
The report also detailed how the alleged abuse impacted twigs professionally. Her manager, Michael Stirton told the Times, “Twigs is always the driving force behind her career — always a step ahead of everyone else… This was an extreme change in her personality and character.”
When reached by email, LaBeouf issued a statement which read, “I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel, I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”
Twigs also outlined “plans to donate a significant portion of any monetary damages to domestic-violence charities.”
Read the full New York Times report here. We reached out to representatives of FKA twigs for comment and were sent this quote from her attorney:
“Shia LaBoeuf has abused Ms. Barnett, Ms. Pho and others. We tried to resolve this matter privately on the condition that Mr. LaBeouf agree to receive meaningful and consistent psychological treatment. Since he was unwilling to agree to get appropriate help, Ms. Barnett filed this suit to prevent others from unknowingly suffering similar abuse by him.”
Bryan Freedman, Attorney for Tahliah Barnett FKA twigs
Update: FKA twigs has shared a personal statement via Instagram which you can read below.