Hey Violet are "conducting a full investigation" into rape allegations against bassist

15 April 2019, 14:32

By Jazmin Duribe

Update: Iain Shipp has been removed from Hey Violet following the band's investigation, after allegations appeared online.

Hey Violet's bass guitarist Iain Shipp has denied "untrue" allegations that he's a rapist. Reports of an alleged incident came to light on Twitter after two of his ex-girlfriend claimed Iain had told them he had raped a woman in the past.

Iain's alleged ex-girlfriend, who has now deleted her Twitter account, sent a series of tweets claiming he had told her that he raped a girl before. Another woman, who claims to be another ex-girlfriend, also tweeted that he had told her that he had raped a girl when he was younger.

She claimed he never gave her specific details on the incident, but he "continuously tried to make her okay with it". After finding out what he'd done she quit her job and moved to another state to get away from him.

She went on to reveal that she didn't speak up previously because she was afraid that she would be hounded by "Stan Twitter".

The tweets were collected and posted in a thread by another Twitter user. Shortly afterwards, Iain issued a statement on Twitter, that read: "I am aware of the disturbing allegations being issued against me and the matter is being investigated. They are deeply upsetting and untrue."

Hey Violet, who are signed to 5SOS record label Hi or Hey Records, also published a separate statement on their Twitter.

It read: "we take these allegations very seriously and are conducting a full investigation. we are not being silent to ignore or cover up what has been said; we have been dealing with the situation offline."

Iain, 23, officially joined the group in September 2016, after originally joining as temporary bassist.