Content warning: this article discusses sexual assault, emotional abuse and suicide.
Kristin Hayter, who records music as Lingua Ignota, has shared a statement detailing alleged sexual and emotional abuse by her former partner, Daughters frontman Alexis Marshall.
Hayter initially accused Marshall of abuse in a tweet on October 13. She then elaborated on those accusations in an interview with Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop, and has since released a written statement detailing abusive behaviour she allegedly experienced from Marshall during their relationship, between July 2019 and June 2021.
In her statement, Hayter claims to have “endured mental and emotional abuse and sexual abuse resulting in bodily harm” from Marshall. Hayter goes on to say she was sexually assaulted by Marshall multiple times while sleeping, and that Marshall “obtained consent through deception, manipulation and coercion”.
She claims that during one “incident of objectifying, violent sex”, Marshall caused Hayter to suffer a severe spinal injury and did not stop when she said she was hurt. “This injury resulted in debilitating pain and physical incapacitation for months,” Hayter continues, adding that she needed surgery to treat the injury, and is still in physical therapy.
“He always denied his behavior, and gaslit me when confronted with irrefutable proof,” Hayter added. “Alexis sustained patterns of lying and manipulation to excuse his behavior; he blame-shifted, minimized, denied, and provoked me so that he could call me aggressive and crazy.
“He used my past of domestic violence against me to claim what he was doing wasn’t that bad because it was not physical battering. He was jealous and resentful of my professional relationships and isolated me from friends. He took advantage of me financially. He blamed me for everything that was wrong in his life.”
Hayter goes on to say that she attempted to take her own life in December of 2020 as a result of Marshall’s alleged abusive behaviour, and that his response was “cold and unfeeling”. She claims Marshall used “threats of suicide and self-harm to manipulate” her, such as when she told him she needed to cut contact with him.
Marshall has denied the allegations in a statement to Pitchfork, saying he “absolutely did not engage in any form of abusive behavior” towards Hayter.
“Kristin is a person that I loved and cared deeply for, however, our relationship was unhealthy for both of us. I can assure anyone reading this that I absolutely did not abuse her, mentally or physically. I am investigating legal options,” he concluded.
Hayter’s label Sargent House, who released her latest album ‘SINNER GET READY’ in August, also released Marshall’s debut solo album ‘House Of Lull . House Of When’ in July. In a statement on Twitter, the label said they ceased working with Marshall in August.
“We made no public statement at that time because we wanted to respect Kristin’s privacy and her timeline for when she felt ready to come forward,” reads a tweet from the label’s official account. “She has now and we continue to stand in solidarity with her.”
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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