Katy Perry has denied Ruby Rose’s claim that she sexually assaulted the actress more than a decade ago at a nightclub in Australia.
“The allegations being circulated on social media by Ruby Rose about Katy Perry are not only categorically false, they are dangerous, reckless lies,” a representative for Perry says in a statement to Rolling Stone. “Ms. Rose has a well-documented history of making serious public allegations on social media against various individuals, claims that have repeatedly been denied by those named.”
Rose made the claim against Perry on Sunday night, responding to a post about Perry poking fun at Justin Bieber’s headlining Coachella set. “Katy Perry sexual[ly] assaulted me at spice market nightclub in Melbourne. Who gives a shit what she thinks,” Rose wrote on Threads.
She continued to share more details in subsequent posts. “[Perry] didn’t kiss me,” Rose claimed. “She saw me ‘resting’ on my best friend’s lap to avoid her and bent down, pulled her underwear to the side and rubbed her disgusting vagina on my face until my eyes snapped open and I projectile vomited on her.”
Rose, who is Australian, claimed she had corroborative photos and that numerous people witnessed the encounter. She also indicated that she filed a police report on Sunday, though she didn’t specify if she was reporting the alleged incident with Perry or another matter that she had been discussing on social media. (A spokesperson for the Victoria Police service in Australia told Rolling Stone that as a matter of privacy, “We don’t ever confirm the identity of who we may or may not be investigating.” A representative for Rose did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment.)
Rose did not pinpoint the exact date of the alleged assault, but acknowledged it had occurred more than a decade ago. Reports from Australian news outlets place Perry and Rose hanging out together and hitting up the popular nightclub Spice Market in downtown Melbourne in August 2010.
The actress claimed she hadn’t shared the full scope of her experience, in part, because Perry had written letters of recommendation for Rose that helped her secure a visa to come to the United States. In 2013, Rose starred in the breakout Netflix series, Orange is the New Black. “I told the story publicly but changed it to be a ‘funny little drunk story’ because I didn’t know how else to handle it,” Rose said. “Later she agreed to help me get my US visa. So I kept it a secret.”
“I was only in my early 20s,” Rose added. “I’m now 40. It has taken almost 2 decades to say this publicly. Though I am so grateful to have made it long enough to find my voice, it just shows how much of an impact trauma and sexual assault takes. Thank you for seeing me.”
Michaela Coel in ‘The Christophers.’Claudette Barius/NEON
