Content warning – This post discusses child abuse and may be triggering to some readers.
In the wake of Leaving Neverland, which details Michael Jackson’s alleged sexual abuse of children, the late King of Pop is in the spotlight more than ever.
In recent weeks, countless former friends, colleagues and alleged victims of Michael Jackson have come forward to share their stories and opinions on the harrowing documentary.
In one interview which resurfaced earlier this month, Michael Jackson’s sister LaToya Jackson claimed that her brother was guilty of “crimes against innocent children”.
Watch the official trailer for Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland here. Post continues below…
“Michael is my brother and I love him a great deal. But I cannot, and will not, be a silent collaborator of his crimes against small, innocent children,” she told MTV in 1993.
“If I remain silent, then it means I fuel the guilt and humiliation these children are feeling and I think it’s very wrong.”
And now, in yet another resurfaced report, LaToya Jackson has previously accused her father Joe Jackson of childhood sexual abuse.
In her 1991 memoir Growing Up In The Jackson Family, the now-62-year-old described how her father sexually abused her as a child, forcing her to leave the family home when she was just 16 years old.
“When your father gets out of bed with your mother and gets into bed with his daughter and you hear the mother saying, ‘No, Joe, not tonight. Let her rest. Leave her alone, she’s tired,’ that makes you crazy,” she wrote.
Speaking on a US talk show while promoting her memoir, La Toya said that Joe sexually abused her “very badly”.
"There wasn't just physical abuse, there was also mental abuse which was very disturbing and also sexual abuse," she said.
"You live with this as if you're doing something wrong and you're frightened. And you're embarrassed," she added.
"I've been embarrassed all my life to ever talk about it, to mention it."
She also explained that the abuse began when her older sister Rebbie moved out of the family home.
"Rebbie, a wonderful person, she left home when she was 16 and the reason was because my father would get out of bed with my mother and get into bed with Rebbie," she said.
"It began with me when Rebbie left."
It's been long reported that Joe Jackson physically abused his children.
In 1993, Michael Jackson told Oprah he would get so fearful being around his father that he would vomit.
Speaking in recorded conversations with his religious advisor Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, which were released in 2009, Jackson described how his father would watch the Jackson 5's rehearsals with a belt in his hand, ready to beat them if they made any mistakes.
"He was rough, the way he would beat you, you know, was hard," he said.
"He would oil you down so when the flip of an ironing cord hit you, you know, and, it was just like me dying, and you had whips all over your face, your back, everywhere.
"And I always hear my mother like, 'No, Joe, you're gonna kill him. You're gonna kill him. No.' And I would just give up, like there was nothing I could do. And I hated him for it. Hated him."
Before his death in 2018 at 89 years old, Joe Jackson did admit to beating his sons.
If this post brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home.
For more on this topic:
- Without us noticing, it looks like Michael Jackson groomed us for decades.
- The signs Michael Jackson was grooming the children he was close to that so many missed.
- "It wasn't going to mean anything": Why Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley.
- The two boys who followed Wade Robson into Michael Jackson's bed insist they weren't abused.
- Debbie Rowe says she gifted Michael Jackson two children because he was a 'wonderful man'.
- Whipped with a strap and beaten: Everything we know about Michael Jackson's abusive childhood.
Top Comments
So sad for the victims that he was not able to break this cycle of abuse.
Its very important to remember that not all abusers were abused and more importantly that not all abuse victims will go on to abuse others.
Michael Jackson was a constant victim of extortion and never abused anyone. Interesting how none of these accusers went to the police but went to civil lawyers trying to get money out of him. If you are a legitimate victim you would go to the police.
MJ was proven not guilty on all counts in a court of law and investigated by the FBI for over 10 years...they found nothing on him.
If you believe that Jackson was a 'constant victim of extortion' (despite the fact that people have come forward and were not seeking money) and 'never abused anyone', you are brainwashed and in deep denial. Why is it, that you don't see other huge and infamous entertainers being 'extorted'? Why is it mainly Jackson? Where there is smoke, there is fire.
More evidence of your ignorance and unwillingness to research. He was not 'proven' not guilty, there is no such thing. He was FOUND not guilty, based on reasonable doubt.
He was NOT investigated by the FBI for over 10 years, it was around 2 and a half years all up. These copy and paste fan LIES have been debunked around 50 times over. The police investigated him for over 10 years. The FBI did NOT. And they certainly found enough on him for the FBI agent involved, Jim Clemente, you say he believes Jackson was guilty and the prosecution has a case.
You haven't done even the slightest research have you?
Where there is smoke there are also mirrors.
It appears we do our research from varying sources, you obviously from tabloid media. Keep going mate. You keep coming up with such BS, not wasting anymore time with you...
It is amazing that MJ's parents have escaped any form of culpability over what they did to Michael. They deprived him of the most precious gift there is, his childhood. Hardly surprising he spent the rest of life trying to relive it. People like to ignore the fact that perpetrators were once victims.