Björk Has Spoken Out About Experiencing Sexual Harassment From A Director

"i became aware of that it is a universal thing that a director can touch and harass his actresses at will and the institution of film allows it," the singer wrote on Facebook.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Icelandic musician and actor Björk alleged an unnamed Danish director sexually harassed her.

"i am inspired by the women everywhere who are speaking up online to tell about my experience with a danish director," the statement begins.

"it was extremely clear to me when i walked into the actresses profession that my humiliation and role as a lesser sexually harassed being was the norm and set in stone with the director and a staff of dozens who enabled it and encouraged it," the statement continues. "i became aware of that it is a universal thing that a director can touch and harass his actresses at will and the institution of film allows it."

Björk wrote that she "turned the director down repeatedly," after which "he sulked and punished [her]."

She explained that she was able to recover from the experience, but that she was concerned "other actresses working with the same man did not."

Bjork's best-known film role is 2000's Dancer in the Dark, which was directed by Lars von Trier, who is Danish.

"Lars declines the accusations Björk has made, but doesn’t wish to comment any further," a representative for the director told BuzzFeed News.

Björk's representative told BuzzFeed News that she does not have further comment. Here's the musician's full statement:

i am inspired by the women everywhere who are speaking up online to tell about my experience with a danish director . because i come from a country that is one of the worlds place closest to equality between the sexes and at the time i came from position of strength in the music world with hard earned independence , it was extremely clear to me when i walked into the actresses profession that my humiliation and role as a lesser sexually harassed being was the norm and set in stone with the director and a staff of dozens who enabled it and encouraged it . i became aware of that it is a universal thing that a director can touch and harass his actresses at will and the institution of film allows it . when i turned the director down repeatedly he sulked and punished me and created for his team an impressive net of illusion where i was framed as the difficult one . because of my strength , my great team and because i had nothing to loose having no ambitions in the acting world , i walked away from it and recovered in a years time . i am worried though that other actresses working with the same man did not . the director was fully aware of this game and i am sure of that the film he made after was based on his experiences with me . because i was the first one that stood up to him and didn't let him get away with it

and in my opinion he had a more fair and meaningful relationship with his actresses after my confrontation so there is hope

let's hope this statement supports the actresses and actors all over

let's stop this

there is a wave of change in the world

kindness

björk

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