Kutcher, Kunis Resign From Anti-Child Sex Abuse Nonprofit Over 'Error in Judgment' in Supporting Co-Star Rapist
Actor Ashton Kutcher, who co-founded the nonprofit organization Thorn over a decade ago to combat child sexual exploitation, has stepped down on Friday from his role as board chairman.
The move comes in the wake of significant backlash following Kutcher and his wife, Mila Kunis, writing character reference letters in support of convicted rapist Danny Masterson, their former co-star on the Fox sitcom “That ’70s Show”, NBC News reported.
Kutcher, who had served as board chairman for the nonprofit, expressed deep regret for his character reference letter.
“The character statement I submitted is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences,” Kutcher wrote in a letter posted on Thorn’s website.
In the letter, the actor emphasized the importance of not questioning the bravery of sexual abuse survivors who share their experiences, a sentiment he reiterated throughout his statement.
Kutcher’s resignation marks a significant development in a controversy that has rocked the entertainment industry and raised questions about the responsibilities of public figures when it comes to supporting individuals involved in serious criminal cases.
The couple, who both starred alongside Masterson, faced criticism after submitting character reference letters to a Los Angeles court, describing the convicted sexual predator as a “dedicated and loyal” husband, an “excellent” role model, and an “outstanding older brother figure,” according to NBC News.
Masterson was subsequently sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting two women.
Ashton Kutcher has resigned from the anti-child sex abuse organization that he co-founded https://t.co/eDwTChl8Jo
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 15, 2023
In his resignation statement, Kutcher acknowledged the gravity of his actions and the pain they had caused: “After my wife and I spent several days of listening, personal reflection, learning, and conversations with survivors and the employees and leadership at Thorn, I have determined the responsible thing for me to do is resign as Chairman of the Board, effectively immediately.”
“I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve,” he added.
In response to Kutcher’s resignation, Thorn released a statement, saying, “Ashton Kutcher, our co-founder, will be resigning from his role as Board Chair at Thorn, effective immediately. This decision is rooted in the recognition of recent events and ensuring Thorn remains focused on its mission: to build technology to defend children from sexual abuse.”
The controversy surrounding Kutcher and Kunis’s support for Masterson drew condemnation from fellow celebrities, including Kathy Griffin and Christina Ricci, according to NBC News.
Read an update from Thorn here: https://t.co/3dHNqZXs3k pic.twitter.com/Niw3VeRQbA
— Thorn (@thorn) September 15, 2023
On September 9th, Kutcher and Kunis took to Kutcher’s Instagram account to address the controversy directly.
They wanted to make it clear that their intention when writing the character reference letters was not to undermine the testimony of the victims or cause them further distress.
View this post on Instagram
Kunis stated, “The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling. We support victims. We have done this historically through work and will continue to do so in the future.”
“They were intended for the judge to read, and not to undermine the testimony of the victims, or to re-traumatize them in any way. We would never want to do that. And we’re sorry if that has taken place,” Kutcher added.
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