Over the past few years, Ian Connor has been building his reputation as both a designer and stylist to the stars. His clientele include, but aren’t limited to: A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa and Kylie Jenner. He’s also worked as a creative consultant with Kanye West. Needless to say, he’s one influential dude. However, it has now come out that he has made a habit of attempting to use that influence to bed women, and when that doesn’t work, he uses force. Up to (at the time of writing) seven women have now come forward with allegations that Connor has raped them; each with similar stories of being promised modelling and fashion opportunities as disturbing as the last.
Malika Anderson was the first woman to publicly share her story when she posted Ian Conner Is a Rapist And I Know First Hand to her blog last week, in which she stated that Connor raped her in October, 2014. She also claims that she contracted gonorrhea as a result of the assault.
I went to get tested the next day because nothing felt right about what happened. I was confused and in denial. On October 9th, I got my test results back and I found out he had given me gonorrhea. Curable. But still. I was devastated and that’s when it all finally hit me. I didn’t want any of what had happened but he just did it anyway and I had to deal with the consequences.
As these things tend to go, Connor has responded to the allegations by stating that the entire thing was made up. According to him, Anderson is making false claims because he’s got a magazine cover now.
Ain’t No Coincidence I Make My First Big Magazine Cover For A Bitch To Make Up Allegations For Her Own Self Esteem Purposes.
— Ian Connor (@souljaian) April 8, 2016
The actual reason she has decided to come forward, she writes in her post, is because she has been told by her detective that her case against Conner would likely close. This is because in the utterly messed up world we live in, her statement, screenshots, information from her doctor and from her school wouldn’t be deemed enough evidence to secure a warrant for Connnor’s arrest. The only way her case would be re-opened is if other women came forward or more evidence was found. So far, no further charges have been brought against Conner, but that could soon well be changing as more women come forward with their stories, all similar to Anderson’s. Among them is Chicago-based artist Jean Deaux, who took to her Tumblr in both support of Anderson and to tell her own story. In the post, titled For Malika, she says that Malika is “a friend of a friend who I soon learned had been assaulted by the man who attacked me”.
She discusses why she didn’t report her own case against Connor despite agreeing to make a statement to Anderson’s detective.
…when he suggested to me I report my own case, I froze. Not because I wasn’t honest, but because I knew his social rep. And as an artist, my art comes first. Being a victim is not on my list of publicity stunts to catapult me into fame. Every accomplishment Ive made thus far is my own, and so will every one in the future.
Not wanting to undermine the process, but if Connor’s own tweets aren’t some kind of evidence of character, then we’re not sure what is. His Twitter feed, both before and since Anderson’s post, show some blatantly horrific attitudes towards women, sex and consent. He’s also recently re-tweeted his pal Kanye’s “BILL COSBY INNOCENT !!!!!!!!!!” tweet from February.
A screenshot of a particularly telling tweet from Connor, which has since been deleted. (Image: djbooth)
It Ain’t Easy Being Ian Connor Just Like It Ain’t Easy Slipping Off A Too Small Condom In The Middle Of Sex Without Her Knowing.
— Ian Connor (@souljaian) June 12, 2014
Images: The Source