Jordan Pruitt details her recovery from years of alleged sexual abuse she suffered
Former Disney star Jordan Pruitt is doubling down on her claims she was sexually abused as a teenager by a big-wig in the entertainment industry.
Jordan Pruitt, a former Disney star and contestant on “The Voice” has filed a lawsuit accusing her former manager, Keith Thomas, of sexually abusing her when she was just 14.
Pruitt also named her former record label, Hollywood Records, as well as its parent company, the Walt Disney Co., in her court filing, alleging that the entities failed to prevent the abuse she says she endured, Variety reported.
The suit claims Hollywood Records and Disney knew or should have been aware that Thomas was a sexual abuser, and alleges that Pruitt was obligated to work with Thomas while he served as her mentor and producer.
The suit also claims Thomas was permitted to be unsupervised while he worked with Pruitt, even though she was underage.
Jordan Pruitt performs at World Wish Day in front of 30 wish kids at The Grove on April 28, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic) (Getty)
Pruitt, who is now 28, went on Twitter on Tuesday to announce that her new filing disclose names.
“3 weeks ago as "Jane Doe" I filed a lawsuit against my molester and those who enabled him. No more Jane Doe. I am Jordan Pruitt. #justice #metoo #SeeSomethingSaySomething,” Pruitt wrote.
Reached for comment by Variety on Aug. 14, Thomas referred questions to his lawyer, who did not respond to a request for comment, the outlet said.
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In a statement to Variety on Tuesday, Pruitt said companies such as those named in her lawsuit don’t do a good enough job of protecting their young talent; she said she was “disappointed” in Disney for the manner in which it treats underage performers.
“Unfortunately, these large companies are primarily concerned with sales, money and charts,” Pruitt told the outlet. “Too often they fall short of protecting the young talent that they are ‘supposed’ to be caretakers for. Time and time again we see people in positions of power fail us. I couldn’t be more disappointed in how Disney treats their underage talent like cash cows.”
She said she hoped that her complaint will force Hollywood Records and Disney to “spend their time and money on putting safeguards in place in order to protect the minors the are employing.”
Pruitt first made her shocking claims in a lengthy Facebook post published in December 2018, in which she wrote that an important male figure in her life began “grooming” her in 2006 while he was engaged to be married to another woman and she was just 15.
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“This all started when I was about 13 and the advances really kind of started around 14, but nothing was ever sexual until I was about 15,” Pruitt detailed to Fox News in June in an extended interview. “I can remember him saying, you know; 'Let me teach you how to kiss. You don't want to get out into the world and be a bad kisser.' I vividly remember that."
Thomas, is a longtime Nashville producer who has worked with acts such as Bebe and CeCe Winans, Amy Grant, Vanessa Williams and Yolanda Adams in addition to the dozens of other notable collaborators. In 2013, Thomas starred on a short-lived reality show called “Chasing Nashville,” which aired on Lifetime and chronicled the life of four girls determined to make their country music dreams come true.
Last week, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge sided with Pruitt in her request to name the parties involved in the suit.
“Jordan Pruitt, like far too many child stars, was exploited by the very people who should have been protecting her,” Pruitt’s attorney, Keith Davidson, said in a statement to Variety. “Jordan’s innocence was robbed from her as she was systematically groomed, molested, and controlled by a predator employed by Disney, a company that sells happiness to children.”
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The statement continued: “Disney had a duty to protect Jordan from Keith Thomas, and failed at every step. Jordan can never get back the innocence that was stolen from her, nor can she erase the trauma of this tragedy, but she is committed to making sure no other young women fall victim to child predators employed and protected by one of the largest entertainment corporations in the world. Jordan is brave to find the courage to come forward to take on such a large conglomerate. She like so many victims with their own #metoo story must be supported. I am honored to represent Jordan.”
When asked if she would be addressing her alleged abuser in her forthcoming book "Abuse Anonymous," Pruitt confirmed she would be delving into the details surrounding her abuse “a thousand percent.”
“I just hope to see him in an orange jumpsuit someday on my television screen. That will give me my greatest joy.”
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