Former Vulvodynia vocalist Zion Bittenbender has responded after being fired from the band due to to sexual misconduct allegations.
CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual misconduct.
After stepping down in November from the post-hardcore band Vulvodynia due to sexual misconduct allegations, the now former vocalist Zion Bittenbender has taking to Instagram to respond to his firing.
Allegations were made against the singer only a week after he joined at the end of October last year. The South African singer would also be accused of dating a 16-year-old while he was 19.
Bittenbinder would share a statement the following week, calling the allegations “false and deeply hurtful,” and that he has “never been charged with or investigated for such a crime.”
Now after a period of silence, the singer has responded to the allegations on social media, denying the allegations once again, and providing context as to why Vulvodynia were removed from the Defeated Sanity tour and his departure from the band.
In his series of posts, Bittenbinder shared screenshots of text conversations with Vulvodynia’s manager Lyn Jeff, confirming the hardcore band were removed from the lineup due to a “venue and promoter decision”.
Bittenbinder would allege that the decision was made by Defeated Sanity to save money despite them knowing his innocence. He would also share screenshots from both guitarists Luke Haarhoff and Kris Xenopoulos defending Bittenbinder on his behalf, and that the band were dropped from the lineup for defending the singer.
In the following weeks, the band would privately remove themselves as collaborators from social media posts with Bittenbinder, which the singer would allege was “so they [(the band)] could get future tours/shows ect.”
A week later, Bittenbinder would be informed over video call that he was to leave the band as the allegations had “scared management and venues” and that they were taking a financial hit for associating with him.
He would later allege that no one in the band was making a statement about his departure, which prompted him to share his divisive Instagram Story announcing that he had left the band.
Vulvodynia would share their official statement on Tuesday (March 3rd), apologising for the delay in making a statement and confirming that they are in the process of finding a new vocalist for the band.
Bittenbinder would end his post by thanking the band for the opportunity, and affirming he will continue to work on other projects.
You can read his full statement here.
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