Aziz Ansari, the Indian American stand-up comedian who was accused of sexual misconduct, clarified that by all indication the sexual activity was “completely consensual.”
“In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual,” Ansari said in a statement, USA Today reported.
Ansari said he was surprised next day when he received her message that she felt uncomfortable.
“The next day, I got a text from her saying that although “it may have seemed okay,’ upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said,” he added.
Anzari, who won a Golden Globe recently, was accused of sexual misconduct by a photographer with whom he went on a date last year.
According to Babe.net, which first broke the story, the Indian American actor forced himself upon the 22-year-old Brooklyn-based photographer during a New York City date on September 26, 2017.
She alleged that Ansari forced her into oral sex even though she expressed her disapproval. “I know I was physically giving off cues that I wasn’t interested. I don’t think that was noticed at all, or if it was, it was ignored,” she told Babe.
“I said ‘I don’t want to feel forced because then I’ll hate you, and I’d rather not hate you,’ ” she added.
The woman has also shared screenshots of her conversation with the actor after the experience.
According to the website, Ansari apologized to the woman after receiving her message.
The actor made history last week by becoming the first Asian male to win a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV series.