Former Christian singer Stacie Orrico claims “the music industry failed to protect” when she was sexually abused by her manager while she was just a teen, misconduct of which her music label was allegedly aware.
The “(There’s Gotta Be) More to Life” singer, 39, is seeking unspecified damages as well as a trial by jury after filing a lawsuit this week against multiple parties including former manager Britt Ham, Universal Music Group, and ForeFront Records for multiple offenses including childhood sexual abuse, sexual battery, negligence and gender violence, according to the filing on the website for her attorneys at Stritmatter Law.
In the years since the alleged misconduct, UMG purchased the Electric and Music Industries label that repped Orrico at the time, hence the company inclusion as a defendant, per TMZ.
“Ms. Orrico was groomed, sexually assaulted and exploited by an industry representative,” reads a statement from her lawyers. “Allegedly, the industry prioritized the commercial value of Ms. Orrico’s public image as a wholesome Christian pop star, while failing to prioritize the young teen’s safety and wellbeing.”
The filing states that “in or around 2007,) the Grammy nominee’s career came to an “abrupt end” due to “the trauma she endured as a result of sexual abuse and exploitation while she was a minor child and a professional music artist under Defendants’ control, supervision, and authority.”
“The music industry failed to protect me when I was a little girl,” Orrico said in a statement to People. “It has taken me years to become strong enough — but I am ready to fight for every young and innocent person who has been, and continues to be, abused in the music industry and in the Church.”
Orrico says Ham’s sexual abuse began at a hotel when she was 14 and continued throughout her teen years. He had “penetrative sex” with the singer when she was just 17, according to the lawsuit.
After the first alleged assault, Ham told Orrico “the acts were not a sin because he loved her,” and proceeded to “blame her then absolve her for his inability to resist engaging in sex acts with her,” per the filing.
EMI’s Greg Ham allegedly told Orrico’s father that he’d witnessed “too much touching” between her and Britt Ham at a pool, and years later told police he knew the two “were in an inappropriate relationship.”
Orrico ultimately cut ties with Britt Ham upon turning 18 in March 2004.
The Daily News has reached out to UMG for comment.
