After supporting the accused rapist Danny Masterson, Ashton Kutcher has resigned from his position as the President of the child sexual exploitation organization Thorn.
Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson Controversy
Ashton Kutcher, who served as the Chairman of the Board at Thorn, an organization he co-founded to combat child sexual exploitation, has stepped down from his role following criticism for supporting his co-star from the ’70s show, Danny Masterson, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison this week on charges of raping two women. Kutcher and his ex-wife, Demi Moore, wrote a letter in support of Masterson to the Superior Court Judge Charlene Olmedo, praising his character and raising questions about his guilt.
In a statement today, the 45-year-old actor, well known for his part in “No Strings Attached,” gave his reasons for leaving Thorn. My spouse and I dedicated numerous days to actively listening to the accounts of survivors and engaging in deep self-reflection, gaining knowledge, and fostering meaningful conversations,” he asserted. “With profound solemnity, I have chosen to promptly step down from my position as Chairman on the Board.” “I am resolute in my conviction that I must not let my presence divert attention from the vital mission of serving the children,” he concluded.
In the statement published by an American news outlet, Kutcher admitted that his letter in support of Masterson weakened the organization’s mission. He expressed, “As you are well aware, I have dedicated the past 15 years of my life to the fight against child sexual exploitation.” He went on to emphasize, “The historical and ongoing strategy of the oppressor has consistently involved suppressing the voices of sexual abuse survivors.” I have worked with these survivors for decades.”
In addition, he expressed his sincere regret for any harm his acts may have caused to Thorn’s supporters as well as to all survivors of sexual assault. The proud father of two praised Thorn for his achievements over the previous ten years.
Thorn’s inception in 2012 traces back to its co-founding by Kutcher and his former spouse, Demi Moore. This initiative took root when the pair viewed a documentary shedding light on child sex trafficking in Cambodia. Due to his affiliation with the group, Kutcher was invited to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2017 and spoke on the country’s efforts in eradicating modern slavery and human trafficking.
After his and Kunis’s open letters were widely publicized, Kutcher made his declaration. In those letters, Kutcher called Masterson “nothing more than a positive influence” and “an extraordinary, honest, and kind person.” Additionally, he stated that he did not see Masterson as a “constant danger to society.”
The convicted rapist was characterized to by Kunis as a “amazing friend, loyal confidant, and an upstanding older brother.”
The A-list pair later released a video statement in which they reiterated their support for survivors and said explicitly that they did not send the letters to contest the legitimacy of the legal system or the court’s ruling.
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