Aerosmith Frontman Steven Tyler Accused Of Sexual Assault In New Lawsuit

CONTENT WARNING: This article contains discussions of sexual assault. If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, or domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. 

Steven Tyler, the singer of the hugely successful rock band Aerosmith, has been accused of sexual assault in a new lawsuit.

In the lawsuit obtained by Rolling Stone, the plaintiff, Julia Holcomb, alleges that she and 25-year-old Tyler began a sexual relationship in 1973, just after her 16th birthday.

The suit's details of Tyler gaining guardianship over Holcomb as a teenager match up with her 2011 essay, where she wrote: "My mother signed over guardianship of me to Steven after I had moved to Boston. I remember my surprise when Steven told me she had signed the papers and trying to take this in mentally. A sense of vulnerability came over me, knowing that I was his ward, but we were not married."

Holcomb says that she met Tyler - who is listed as Defendant Doe in the lawsuit - at an Aerosmith concert in Portland. She alleges that Tyler was aware of her age when he invited her back to his hotel room, where he "performed various acts of criminal sexual conduct upon" her. 

She alleges numerous occasions of sexual assault before accusing Tyler of subjecting her to "involuntary infamy" for writing about her in his 2012 memoir, Does The Noise In My Head Bother You? and describing it as a "romantic, loving relationship". 

In his memoir, he wrote, "She was sixteen, she knew how to nasty, and there wasn’t a hair on it" and noted that he "almost took a teen bride" in Holcomb and that her "parents fell in love with me [and] signed a paper over for me to have custody, so I wouldn’t get arrested if I took her out of state. I took her on tour with me."

Holcomb alleges that in 1975, she became pregnant with Tyler's child and that he insisted that she terminate the pregnancy. The suit also states that Holcomb felt "powerless to resist" Tyler’s "power, fame and substantial financial ability" and that the Aerosmith vocalist "coerced and persuaded Plaintiff into believing this was a 'romantic love affair'".  

The lawsuit arrives in the final days of California’s Child Victims Act; Rolling Stone reports - the 2019 legislation lifted the statute of limitations for childhood survivors of sexual assault to come forward with allegations. The deadline to file a lawsuit of this manner expires on the 31st of December. A representative for Steven Tyler hasn't yet responded for comment.