A new documentary called Jagged, focusing on Alanis Morissette’s life and career, includes revelations that the Grammy-winning star says that multiple men had sex with her when she was 15, reports the Washington Post.
According to the paper, in the film, Alanis says, “It took me years in therapy to even admit there had been any kind of victimization on my part. I would always say I was consenting, and then I’d be reminded like ‘Hey, you were 15, you’re not consenting at 15.’ Now I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, they’re all pedophiles. It’s all statutory rape.'”
The Post notes that Canada’s legal age of consent is 16.
Alanis also details how she was pressured to keep her weight down, with a male producer allegedly counting cheese slices to make sure she wasn’t eating them; she notes that led to a decades-long eating disorder.
Addressing the topic of why some women wait “30 years” to reveal such abuse, Alanis declares, “They don’t wait 30 years. No one was listening or their livelihood was threatened or their family was threatened…Women don’t wait. Our culture doesn’t listen.”
Also according to the Washington Post, Alanis won’t appear at Jagged‘s world premiere on Tuesday at the Toronto International Film Festival, because she’s unhappy about it “for unspecified reasons.” The newspaper notes that isn’t really anything in the film that’s critical of the now 47-year-old artist, and describes her as “enthusiastic” during the interview segments.
Director Alison Klayman told the Washington Post, “Of course I wish Alanis could be there [at the premiere]. It was a privilege to make this film and I’m really proud of it. Hopefully there will be other opportunities in the future for her to come to film events.”
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