David Desrosiers Quits Simple Plan After Assault Allegations Were Made Public
Many survivors of sexual, violent or psychological assault and harassment have ended their silence in the last few days in Quebec, causing a colossal wave of denunciations. Several celebrities have been among the names revealed. And following several testimonies, David Desrosiers is quitting Simple Plan and the group announces a break.
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Several Instagram pages beginning with "victims_voices" followed by the name of a region include testimonials from survivors.
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Others choose to use their own platforms to reveal their experiences, and public figures are part of this movement, both with their experiences and by being pointed at.
While some of his actions have been denounced on social networks, Simple Plan bassist David Desrosiers shared an official message on his Instagram page.
It was very late on July 9 that the man published his message, in which he apologized for his past actions.
He explains that he became aware of his actions and their repercussions.
"So I made the decision to withdraw from the group and seek professional help to educate myself and act appropriately in the future," he writes.
Desrosiers ends by apologizing for the harm he caused.
"I am truly sorry for the harm I have caused these women," he expressed.
At the same time, the Canadian pop-punk band released its own statement apologizing for the actions of their member.
They say they are taking a moment to reflect and put "guidelines" in place to ensure they don't find themselves in this kind of situation again.
One of the anonymous testimonials states the following about how he would operate:
"He picks his prey out of his fanbase, so they shut up and believe that the way he treats them is normal. He does it through threats, threatening to stop a fan from going to a show or make her leave the venue if she's there and has done something he doesn't like."
"I know there are dozens of girls he has treated like this who are afraid to talk about it because he's in a big band."
It could, therefore, be this type of story that would have allowed Desrosiers to realize the extent of the repercussions of his behaviour, and that convinced him to leave Simple Plan to seek help.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, call the Assaulted Women's Helpline at 1-866-863-0511 or find them online here. You can also contact the Support Services for Male Survivors of Sexual Assault at 1-866-887-0015 or online here. For a list of resources by province, go here.
This article was originally published in French on Narcity Québec.
