UPDATE: Two more women have gone on the record with the Daily Mail where they both said they were raped by Ian Connor. That makes for a total of four on the record with their full names plus one who spoke to the publication anonymously.
Read the original story below.
Streetwear stylist Ian Connor is back in the news on charges related to rape. Two women, Malika Anderson and Khaditia Diallo, have chosen to go public with their charges with the Daily Mail.
Connor saw his spot blow up last month in April when Anderson accused him of raping her, detailing the alleged event in a lengthy blog post titled “Ian Connor Is a Rapist, and I Know Firsthand.” Anderson said she was raped in October 2014 and filed a police report in December 2015. Lacking physical evidence she was told by detectives the case would be closed. Diallo said she was 16 and a virgin when Connor raped her.
When Anderson published her blog, singer Jean Deaux also followed suit, and also accused Connor of raping her. At the time, several other women also said Connor raped them, but did so anonymously. Gossip blog Fameolous become something of a clearinghouse for women saying they were raped by Connor, and in an April post s/he said a total of seven women had contacted her/him.
One of the ugliest parts of this event is how Connor has responded to his accusers on Twitter, where he wrote in a June 2nd Tweet following the Daily Mail Article, “Don’t Willingly Cheat On Your Boyfriend If You Can’t Handle The Consequences Of Being Caught.”
Connor was recently spotted in the studio with Kanye West and Big Sean, and on his Instagram account on May 31st, he said he was responsible for styling a photoshoot for OVO, Drake’s label.
While trial by social media is far from ideal, when multiple women step forward and accuse a man they have nothing to gain from of rape, their stories gather weight, meaning and import. The wealthy rap artists and designers who choose to work with and thus support Connor’s side of the story should know that he will be viewed as part and parcel of their brand and message. Guilt by association is real and aligning with Connor at this juncture purely and simply is bad business.
Image shot by Brent Goldsmith for SSense, who interviewed Connor before the accusations arose.
