CONTENT WARNING: The following article discusses child sexual abuse
A new lawsuit alleges that in 1965, Bob Dylan supplied drugs and alcohol to a 12-year-old girl before sexually abusing her.
Court documents viewed by Page Six and TMZ, allege that the folk musician, who was 23/24 at the time, “befriended and established an emotional connection with the plaintiff” over a six week period between April and May in 1965.
The now-68-year-old woman at the centre of the suit, who goes by the initials J.C. throughout, alleges in the lawsuit that he sought a “connection” with her to “lower her inhibitions with the object of sexually abusing her, which he did, coupled with the provision of drugs, alcohol and threats of physical violence, leaving her emotionally scarred and psychologically damaged to this day.”
The suit levels multiple allegations of sexual abuse at Dylan, with someone incidents taking place at the Chelsea hotel in Manhattan. According to the documents, they are claiming that his previous actions “are of a permanent and lasting natures and have incapacitated the plaintiff from attending her regular activities”.
J.C. is suing for unspecified damages, as well as a jury trial for claims of assault, battery, false imprisonment, and infliction of emotional distress.
A spokesman of Dylan’s spoke to The Guardian on Monday, stating that “the 56-year-old claim is untrue and will be vigorously defended”.
The court documents have been filed at the eleventh hour, on the final day of the New York State’s Child Victim Act look-back window, which allowed victims of child abuse to seek damages from their abusers, regardless of the state’s statute of limitation laws.
