Warning: This article contains content which may be upsetting for some readers.
Actor and comedian Aziz Ansari has responded to allegations of sexual misconduct, saying he was "surprised and concerned" by the accusations.
A 23-year-old photographer referred to only as Grace told Babe that she went on a date with The Master of None star which ended with her feeling "violated" on the taxi ride home his Manhattan apartment.
Grace detailed how the actor and comedian continuously moved towards having sex with her back at his place after their date, including "going to grab a condom within minutes of their first kiss" and sticking his fingers down her throat before performing a sex act on her. She says she used continual verbal and non-verbal indicators that she was uncomfortable, and eventually told him she didn't "want to feel forced".
He then allegedly motioned for her to perform a sex act on him.
In his full statement, released Sunday (local time), Ansari says he's taken the incident to heart.
"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.
"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.
"I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue."
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