Lena Dunham apologises after standing by Girls writer
Lena Dunham has apologised after a statement she released defending Girls writer Murray Miller from sexual assault accusations was criticised by people on social media.
Miller served as a writer and executive producer on the hit HBO show between 2013 and 2017, and is currently being investigated by Los Angeles police after actress Aurora Perrineau accused him of assault.
The writer has "categorically and vehemently" denied the claims, and earlier this week, Dunham and fellow showrunner Jenni Konner released a joint statement, saying that they were standing by Miller and that they were "confident" this accusation was "one of the 3 percent of assault cases that are misreported every year".
The statement was met with criticism from users on social media for defending her friend after previously publicly declaring that women don't lie about being sexually assaulted:
Lena Dunham makes absolutely woeful decisions sometimes. Appalling joint statement. Absolutely awful. Support your friend in silence if you must. Don’t sell out your entire gender to do it.
- Sali Hughes (@salihughes) November 18, 2017
im sorry but can lena dunham just pic.twitter.com/plRVAcGRYb
- Orion Carloto (@orionnichole) November 19, 2017
I avoid talking about Lena Dunham because life is too short. However, to deny an alleged sexual assault PUBLICLY, regardless of what “insider info” you have, is careless & selfish. If your friend is innocent, that will be proven. Your public statement hurts survivors.
- Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) November 18, 2017
Apparently Lena Dunham is a huge supporter of women coming forward with sexual assault unless it’s someone she knows personally and has held her up and filled her world with love.
- Tom & Lorenzo (@tomandlorenzo) November 18, 2017
Now, Dunham has reacted to the backlash by apologising and saying she and Konner "regret" their original decision to release the statement.
"I never thought I would issue a statement publicly supporting someone accused of sexual assault, but I naively believed it was important to share my perspective on a friend's situation as it has transpired behind the scenes over the last few months," she said on Twitter.
"I now understand that it was absolutely the wrong time to come forward with such a statement and I am so sorry."