‘It’s still a struggle every day’: TikToker accuses ex-Owl City band member of sexual assault
A TikToker accused former Owl City member Daniel Jorgensen of sexually assaulting her and multiple other young girls in a viral video.
The TikTok starts with a photo of teenager @ambermaedee next to Jorgensen with the words "I was far too scared to speak out" on the screen. It cuts to a present-day video of a confident-looking Amber saying that she and so many others ended up telling their stories.
"That's the thing with assaulting children and abusing fans. The survivors find each other and stick together," Amber said in the video.
Jorgensen plead guilty to lewdness with a child in 2017, the Associated Press reported. The ex-Owl City musician admitted that he exposed himself to a girl who was under the age of 13 in Atlantic City in August of 2013. He was originally charged with attempting to lure the child and engaging in criminal sexual contact with the girl on the Atlantic City beach. Jorgensen was sentenced to two years probation.
The video has earned more than 8 million views on TikTok. The 12-second clip is also accompanied by the caption "It’s never too late to speak out. Also, stop letting Owl City trend on here, they made this TikTok happen."
Amber made two follow-up videos that give more backstory about what she went through as a teenager.
Amber explained that she had been a huge fan of the group, even following Daniel's side projects. She met him in person at a show and they eventually started talking through Facebook on a daily basis. Amber says she was just 16 at the time and he was 27.
"Looking back at the messages he was absolutely grooming me," Amber said.
Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust, and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them, according to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Kids and young people who are groomed can be sexually abused, exploited, or trafficked. Grooming can happen online or in person.
Amber said the sexual manipulation started when she turned 17.
"When I turned 17, that's when it got sexual. He started sexually manipulating me and basically said he waited until I was 17 because that's the legal age of consent in Minnesota where we both live," Amber said.
The manipulation went on for a year and she eventually stayed at his house but said she wasn't ready to talk publicly about what happened.
"Basically, I did not feel safe enough to say no," she said. "So when he got what he wanted physically he eventually ghosted me," Amber said.
A few months later Amber says a friend of hers came forward with a similar story regarding an Owl City band member. Amber said it felt like her friend's story opened up the floodgates to so many others speaking out. Amber has been in contact with about 10 other girls, including several who came forward alongside her and the person who pressed charges to build a case against Jorgensen.
The legal work went on for years before Jorgensen was finally charged, Amber said.
"It's been almost ten years since I went through this and processing this trauma fucking sucks, but through therapy and a really great support system with my family, friends, and the other survivors who've become very close friends of mine now, I'm definitely able to process this better, but it's still a struggle every day," she said.
Amber noted that she's seen comments arguing that the entire band shouldn't be blamed for the actions of individuals. She added that her "use of saying Owl City and not just Daniel was intentional."
Amber said part of how she's processed a lot of her trauma is through poetry. She's currently working on a collection titled "Prey." Her goal is for the work to be a resource for others with similar trauma.
The Daily Dot reached out to @ambermaedee via TikTok comment.
Update 01:00pm CT, Nov. 27: The Daily Dot reached out to Owl City for comment regarding the allegations. The Daily Dot was unable to reach Jorgensen for comment.
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