Ashton Kutcher has made the decision to step down as chairman of Thorn, an organization he co-founded in 2009 with his former spouse Demi Moore. The purpose of Thorn is to combat child sex abuse. This news was initially reported by Time. In a letter addressed to Thorn’s board, the renowned actor acknowledged the historical silencing of sexual abuse victims. He also expressed regret for submitting a statement in support of Danny Masterson, an actor and convicted rapist. Kutcher described his support for Masterson as a painful instance of questioning brave victims who share their experiences.
Kutcher further explained that he and his wife, Mila Kunis, have engaged in days of listening, personal reflection, learning, and conversations with survivors, as well as Thorn’s employees and leadership. As a result, he has concluded that the responsible course of action is to resign as Chairman of the Board, effective immediately. Kutcher emphasized the importance of not allowing his judgment error to distract from their efforts and the children they serve.
Kunis, who served as an observer on Thorn’s board, is also resigning from her position.
Last week, Kutcher and Kunis faced criticism for writing letters requesting leniency in Masterson’s sentencing. Masterson, a fellow actor who appeared alongside Kutcher and Kunis on “That ’70s Show,” was ultimately sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison for raping two women. Although Kutcher and Kunis apologized for their support, they still faced criticism for backing a charity that aims to stop sex crimes while simultaneously supporting a convicted sex offender.
In his resignation letter, Kutcher apologized for disappointing victims of sexual assault and their advocates by attempting to mitigate Masterson’s sentence. He expressed heartfelt remorse to all victims of sexual violence, Thorn’s staff, and the wider advocacy community. Kutcher remains proud of the accomplishments made in the past decade and assures continued support for Thorn’s work.
Ashton Kutcher’s complete letter can be seen in a tweet shared by journalist Yashar Ali.
Kutcher’s statement received some praise on social media. However, it also drew criticism from Niesha Trout, one of Masterson’s victims. Trout pointed out that Kutcher still hadn’t offered an apology to her or the two other women who have accused Masterson of rape.
If you need assistance, you can visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.
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