Update 12:06pm CT, Dec. 6: A fourth woman has come forward with sexual misconduct claims. The anonymous woman told BuzzFeed News that she worked with Tyson at the American Museum of Natural History and he made an inappropriate come-on during a holiday party in 2010.
Update 8:43pm CT, Dec. 1: Tyson denied the rape, and apologized for his behavior toward his two other accusers. Of his two accusers, he said although he is “a friendly and accessible guy,” but he “can surely be more sensitive to people’s personal space.”
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Fox Broadcasting and National Geographic are investigating astrophysicist and Cosmos host Neil deGrasse Tyson after three women made allegations of sexual misconduct.
Fox Broadcasting, National Geographic, and the producers of Cosmos have all stated that they are conducting reviews of the allegations and Tyson’s conduct, according to BuzzFeed.
“The credo at the heart of Cosmos is to follow the evidence wherever it leads. The producers of Cosmos can do no less in this situation,” the show’s producers said in a statement. “We are committed to a thorough investigation of this matter and to act accordingly as soon as it is concluded.”
“We have only just become aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson,” Fox Broadcasting and National Geographic said. “We take these matters very seriously and we are reviewing the recent reports.”
One woman, named Tchiya Amet, made allegations against Tyson in 2014, writing that he offered her a drugged drink and raped her while the two attended the University of Texas in the 1980s. Amet said the encounter left her traumatized for decades.
Amet was interviewed by the religious blog Patheos after the Me Too movement gained steam, which prompted two other women to come forward with allegations of their own.
Dr. Katelyn Allers, an associate professor at Bucknell University, told Patheos writer David McAfee that she met Tyson in 2009 at an after party for an American Astronomical Society event. Allers said that she asked for a photo with Tyson, who she said complimented a tattoo that ran from her collarbone, shoulder, and back, and that he reached into her dress to see it better.
Allers clarified that she didn’t equate the incident to sexual assault, but considered it evidence that Tyson lacked respect for women’s bodies.
The third woman, named Ashley Watson, told Patheos that deGrasse Tyson displayed “predatory tendencies” while she worked as his assistant. Watson told Patheos that Tyson’s attempts to persuade her to have sex with him forced her to quit her job.
A full accounting of Watson’s claims can be found at Patheos.
According to Patheos, Watson texted Amet that, “I feel like most people don’t believe he’s a predator because of his status as an educator” not long after Amet made her own claims.
Tyson has yet to make a public statement about any of the allegations and has not returned any requests for comment from Patheos or BuzzFeed.
Correction: The fourth woman who came forward accused Tyson of sexual misconduct, and worked with him at the American Museum of Natural History.
H/T BuzzFeed News
