Tyler Perry Sued for Alleged Sexual Assault and Harassment

Tyler Perry, a 55-year-old producer and actor, has been accused of using his power and influence to create a coercive and sexually exploitative dynamic with an actor who starred in his long-running drama series, "The Oval." The actor, Derek Dixon, filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court on June 13, alleging that Perry subjected him to escalating sexual harassment, assault, and battery while employed as a series regular on the show.

According to the lawsuit, Perry initially promised Dixon career advancement and creative opportunities, but instead, Perry allegedly made unwanted advances and subjected Dixon to a pattern of sexual harassment and assault. The documents claim that Perry, on one occasion, climbed into bed with Dixon after a night of drinking and aggressively groped his buttocks in his trailer on the set of "The Oval." Perry's lawyer responded to the accusations, stating that the claims are "fabricated" and that Dixon is attempting to "shake down" the producer.

Dixon's lawsuit alleges that he met Perry in September 2019 while working for an event company that organized the opening party for Perry's Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Afterward, Perry allegedly sent Dixon text messages with sexual advances and explicit language. Dixon claims that he was worried he would lose his job if he refused Perry's advances, so he continued to maintain that he was simply not interested in sex. Perry's advances became more frequent after offering Dixon a role in "The Oval," and the actor claims that Perry put pressure on him to maintain their relationship or risk being written out of the show.

Key Takeaways:

• Derek Dixon, a former series regular on "The Oval," filed a lawsuit against Tyler Perry, alleging that Perry subjected him to escalating sexual harassment, assault, and battery while employed on the show.
• The lawsuit claims that Perry made unwanted advances and created a culturally toxic environment, including climbing into bed with Dixon, aggressively groping him, and sending explicit text messages.
• Perry's lawyer responded to the allegations, stating that the claims are "fabricated" and that Dixon is attempting to "shake down" the producer.
• Dixon alleges that Perry put pressure on him to maintain their relationship or risk being written out of the show, including leaving his character shot multiple times and unclear as to whether he had died.
• Dixon also claims that Perry blamed his actions on testosterone supplements, although Perry never took action to produce a TV show that Dixon had written.
• As a result of Perry's actions, Dixon suffered from severe depression, anxiety, stomach pains, and nausea and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Statistics:

• The lawsuit alleges that Perry made $260 million in damages as well as legal expenses.
• The lawsuit was filed on June 13 in the Los Angeles Superior Court.
• The alleged incidents occurred between 2019 and 2021.
• 100% of the allegations against Perry come from a single source, Derek Dixon.
• 100% of the claims against Perry involve allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and battery.

Sources:

• The Independent
• Los Angeles Superior Court
• Derek Dixon's lawsuit (exact name of source document not provided)