Kimora Lee Simmons took to Instagram late Thursday night to address the series of rape allegations made against her ex-husband, Russell Simmons. This is the first time she has spoken about the issue.
Kimora, 42, begins by adding her voice to the “chorus of those speaking out against harassment and violence in all its forms.” At the same time, though, she has known Russell for over 25 years, and the two were married, divorced, had two children together, and now remain friends. “These allegations against him are nothing like the person I have known in all that time,” Kimora wrote. “I have known him to be a caring and supportive father and someone who has worked tirelessly to uplift disenfranchised communities.”
Kimora continued, adding that this is a “pivotal moment in which men are being held accountable for their abuses of power.” Speaking as a “mother of two daughters,” Kimora believes that “no one should be shamed or portrayed as an unreliable witness,” but at the same time, neither should “anyone be condemned legally without due process and a fair trial.”
Kimora's call for due process echoes Russell's plan to absolve himself of all rape charges that he shared back in December. His #NotMe campaign, designed to counteract the #MeToo hashtag, has since been ditched as more women have accused him of sexual assault.
“I remain committed as always to fighting injustice and inequity in all its forms,” Kimora added.
As of Friday, At least nine women have accused Simmons, 60, of rape or sexual assault. Just yesterday, he was hit with a 5 million dollar lawsuit by Jennifer Jarosik, a documentary producer, who claims Simmons raped her in 2016. Jarosik joins Jenny Lumet, a screenwriter, who accuses the music mogul of raping her, and Keri Claussen Khalighi, who claims they had nonconsensual sex when she was 17 years old. Simmons is also being investigated by the NYPD after Kelly Cutrone accused him of rape in December. Simmons stepped down from his businesses in November when the first allegations became public. He has repeatedly denied all claims made against him.
