After receiving criticism last week over letters of support he and his wife Mila Kunis wrote on behalf of their former “That 70s Show” co-star Danny Masterson ahead of a sentencing hearing, Ashton Kutcher has stepped down from his post at Thorn, an anti-child sex abuse group he co-founded.
Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Danny Masterson
According to Time, Kunis will be stepping down as an observer on the Thorn board
In a recently published article from CNN, Masterson was convicted of two counts of rape in May. He was sentenced to 30 years to life in jail last week. Thorn was co-founded by Kutcher and his ex-wife Demi Moore more than a decade ago. The organization seeks to put an end to child sexual exploitation and human sex trafficking.
Kunis and Kutcher were among roughly 50 persons who provided character references and advocated for Masterson’s leniency. Masterson has maintained his innocence and intends to file an appeal. Following the publication of the letters to the court, the pair stated in an Instagram video that they were “aware of the pain” they had caused.
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Masterson claims his innocence and intends to file an appeal
In a recently published article from WMUR, in his resignation letter, Kutcher stated that he wanted Thorn to continue focused on its objective of assisting victims and survivors. “I want to offer my heartfelt apology to all victims of sexual violence and everyone at Thorn who I have hurt by what I did,” Ashton Kutcher said. “I also apologize to the greater advocacy community. I am still proud of what we have accomplished over the previous decade and will continue to back Thorn’s work. Thank you for your unwavering activism and commitment to our cause.”
In a statement on the organization’s website, Thorn acknowledged Kutcher’s contributions over the past 15 years, adding, “While the last few days have challenged us all in new ways, we remain committed to our purpose, cognizant of the confidence placed in us by our community, and confident in our collective commitment to the children we serve.”
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