Nicola Thorp has blasted people for caring more about Michael Jackson’s music than the voices of victims of abuse.
The ‘Coronation Street’ actress – who recently opened up about her experiences with sexual harassment – has hit out at the reaction to the controversial ‘Leaving Neverland’ documentary, in which James Safechuck and Wade Robson claim that the ‘Man in the Mirror’ singer sexually abused both of them after befriending them when they were children.
In a column for the Metro, she wrote: "After the documentary aired, public debate turned to the ‘ethical dilemma’ of whether or not we should still be listening to Michael Jackson’s records.
"I don’t care if you stop listening to his music. Start listening to victims. Don’t turn this into a consumer issue when the real concern is that we continue to facilitate abuse and the silencing of those affected by it."
The soap star – who plays Nicola Rubinstein on the cobbles – opened up about the way people are discussing the documentary could stop victims from speaking out about their own experiences.
She explained: "I don’t care if you think Jackson is no more than a harmless eccentric, I care about how you respond to those who spoke out against him.
"I care about the children in your family who may overhear you and feel afraid disclose their own abuse. I care about the woman who sits next to you at work who has been assaulted by her partner and is scared to tell anyone in case she faces similar criticism."
Nicola, 30, recently revealed how she was harassed by a director working on a documentary about women’s rights, and how she was once locked in a work bathroom when she was 19 until she agreed to kiss her manager.
She said that society needs to "definitely" do more to support women who have been harassed, adding: "This sort of thing is happening to women all of the time. I am not unique in that. Even though the #MeToo movement was so phenomenal and changed so much, it’s actually changed more for men."
In Dan Reed’s ‘Leaving Neverland’ documentary, Wade – who testified under oath in Michael’s 2005 child sex abuse trial that the musician never abused him – claims that he was molested by the King of Pop from the age of seven until 14. James – who previously testified on Michael’s behalf when he was accused of sexual abuse in 1993 – claimed he was abused from the age of 10 until he reached puberty.
The Michael Jackson estate has hit back at the allegations branding both accusers "perjurers" and "admitted liars".
Nicola Thorp blasts ‘victim-blame culture’ over Michael Jackson documentary
