Last week, former Runaways bassist Jacqueline Fuchs claimed that she was raped by the group’s producer, the late Kim Fowley, when she was 16. According to the story, her fellow bandmates, Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, both watched as it happened and have responded to the claim.
In a long Huffington Post/Highline report by Jason Cherkis, Fuchs, who was known as Jackie Fox, claims that Fowley drugged her with Quaaludes and raped her on New Year’s Eve 1975. Several witnesses corroborated the story, including Runaways co-founder Kari Krome.
“You don’t know what terror is until you realize something bad is about to happen to you and you can’t move a muscle,” Fuchs recalled. “I can’t move. I can’t speak. All I can do is look him in the eye and do the best I can do to communicate: Please say no. ... I don’t know what it looked like from the outside. But I know what was going on inside and it was horror.”
On Friday, Jett finally commented on the story, issuing a statement on Facebook.
“Anyone who truly knows me understands that if I was aware of a friend or bandmate being violated, I would not stand by while it happened,” Jett wrote. “For a group of young teenagers thrust into 70s rock stardom there were relationships that were bizarre, but I was not aware of this incident. Obviously Jackie’s story is extremely upsetting and although we haven’t spoken in decades, I wish her peace and healing.”
Currie also sent a statement to Yahoo Music, insisting that she did not witness Fuchs’ alleged rape and saying that she would take a polygraph test to prove it. “If I were guilty, I would admit it,” currie wrote. “There are so many excuses I could make being only one month into my sixteenth year at the time that people would understand but I am innocent.”
As for Fowley, he will not get to tell his side of the story. He died in January at age 75.
Fuchs told the Huffington Post that she was inspired to come forward after hearing about the allegations women have made agaisnt Bill Cosby. The story also comes as singer Kesha has accused producer Dr. Luke of drugging her.
image of Joan Jett courtesy of Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com