Current:Home > NewsAshton Kutcher Resigns as Chairman of Anti-Child Sex Abuse Organization After Danny Masterson Letter-LoTradeCoin
Ashton Kutcher Resigns as Chairman of Anti-Child Sex Abuse Organization After Danny Masterson Letter
View Date:2024-12-23 22:41:35
Ashton Kutcher stepping away from an anti-child sex abuse organization he co-founded.
Amid public backlash over letters he and wife Mila Kunis wrote in support of their That '70s Show costar Danny Masterson ahead of his rape case sentencing, the Punk'd alum has resigned from his post as chairman of Thorn's board on Sept. 15.
"After my wife and I spent several days of listening, personal reflection, learning, and conversations with survivors and the employees and leadership at Thorn, I have determined the responsible thing for me to do is resign as Chairman of the Board, effectively immediately," Kutcher wrote in his letter of resignation, which was published in full by Time. "I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve."
He further acknowledged that his letter in support of his longtime friend—who was ultimately sentenced to 30 years to life in prison—undermined the organization's efforts.
"As you know, I have worked for 15 years to fight for people who are sexually exploited," the No Strings Attached star continued. "Victims of sexual abuse have been historically silenced and the character statement I submitted is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences. This is precisely what we have all worked to reverse over the last decade."
Offering a "heartfelt apology to all victims of sexual violence and everyone at Thorn who I hurt by what I did," as well as the "broader advocacy community," Kutcher added, "I remain proud of what we have accomplished in the past decade and will continue to support Thorn's work. Thank you for your tireless advocacy and dedication to this cause."
Kutcher and then-wife Demi Moore launched Thorn in 2012 after learning about "the issue of child sex trafficking from a documentary highlighting what was happening to children in Cambodia," according to the organization's website. As part of his role as co-founder, he testified at a 2017 hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to examine the United States' progress in ending modern slavery and human trafficking.
The 45-year-old's resignation from Thorn comes a week after letters he and Kunis, 40, penned to a judge presiding over Masterson's sentencing were made public. In documents obtained by E! News, Kutcher described Masterson—who was convicted on two counts of rape in May but has denied any wrongdoing—as an "excellent" role model who had been "nothing but a positive influence on me."
"He has always treated people with decency, equality, and generosity," he wrote, before urging the judge to take Masterson's 9-year-old daughter Fianna Francis with wife Bijou Phillips into consideration in his sentencing. "I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society and having his daughter raised without a present father would a tertiary injustice in and of itself."
In the face of criticism over their support for Masterson, Kutcher and Kunis released a video message on Sept. 9 to apologize for "the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson."
"They were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or retraumatize them in any way," Kutcher said of the letters. "We would never want to do that, and we're sorry if that has taken place."
For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org.veryGood! (2)
Related
- Asian sesame salad sold in Wegmans supermarkets recalled over egg allergy warning
- How Dominican women fight child marriage and teen pregnancy while facing total abortion bans
- Remembering those lost on OceanGate's Titan submersible
- China's first domestically built cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, sets sail on maiden voyage
- Lions find way to win, Bears in tough spot: Best (and worst) from NFL Week 10
- Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai pleads not guilty to sedition and collusion charges
- 'Wonka' nabs final No. 1 of 2023, 'The Color Purple' gets strong start at box office
- Marsha Warfield, bailiff Roz Russell on ‘Night Court,’ returns to the show that has a ‘big heart’
- Lions QB Jared Goff, despite 5 interceptions, dared to become cold-blooded
- It keeps people with schizophrenia in school and on the job. Why won't insurance pay?
Ranking
- 'This dude is cool': 'Cross' star Aldis Hodge brings realism to literary detective
- Treatment for acute sleeping sickness has been brutal — until now
- Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi is declared winner of election that opposition wants redone
- Sophia Bush Says 2023 “Humbled” and “Broke” Her Amid New Personal Chapter
- Georgia lawmaker proposes new gun safety policies after school shooting
- Shannen Doherty Shares She Completed This “Bucket List” Activity With Her Cancer Doctor
- Ashes of Canadian ‘Star Trek’ fan to be sent into space along with those of TV series’ stars
- Israel-Hamas war will go on for many more months, Netanyahu says
Recommendation
-
Wreck of Navy destroyer USS Edsall known as 'the dancing mouse' found 80 years after sinking
-
Washington vs. Michigan: Odds and how to watch 2024 CFP National Championship
-
Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi is declared winner of election that opposition wants redone
-
What does auld lang syne mean? Experts explain lyrics, origin and staying power of the New Year's song
-
How Kim Kardashian Navigates “Uncomfortable” Situations With Her 4 Kids
-
Members of Germany’s smallest governing party vote to stay in Scholz’s coalition, prompting relief
-
California 10-year-old used father's stolen gun to fatally shoot boy, authorities say
-
2024 Winter Classic winners and losers: Joey Daccord makes history, Vegas slide continues