sexual harassment

Björk Describes ‘Paralysing’ Sexual Harassment by Danish Director Following Lars Von Trier’s Denial

Björk. Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Björk is standing by her story. After Lars Von Trier released a statement on Monday denying that he is the unnamed Danish director Björk says sexually harassed her, the singer has responded, once again without naming the accused. Lending her voice to the #MeToo campaign started by Tarana Burke and echoed this week by Alyssa Milano to encourage women to share their stories of abuse in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Björk has elaborated on what she says happened to her. She claims that the unnamed Danish director frequently touched her inappropriately after takes on the film and once broke a chair on set after she publicly refused him, “like someone who has always been allowed to fondle his actresses.”

Björk says his lewd advances escalated from there, recalling “constant awkward paralysing unwanted whispered sexual offers” and one instance where “he threatened to climb from his room’s balcony over to [hers] in the middle of the night with a clear sexual intention, while his wife was in the room next door.” Without naming him, Björk alludes to later reports of clashes with von Trier on their film Dancer in the Dark, saying the film’s producer planted stories about her being difficult as revenge for rejecting the director. “This matches beautifully [with] the Weinstein methods and bullying,” she writes. “If being difficult is standing up to being treated like that, I’ll own it.”

Björk Details Harassment by Director Amid Von Trier’s Denial