Adam Savage, host of now defunct Discovery channel show Mythbusters,
has denied sexually abusing his sister, following a lawsuit filed by her against him.
The new lawsuit by Miranda Pacchiana, the younger sister of Savage alleges that Savage sexually assaulted her through her anus and mouth ‘repeatedly over the course of several years’ when they were children in the late 1970s in Sleepy Hollow, New York.
She also claims it’s been up to 20 years since she cut off from her brother as he shows no remorse for what he did to her while they were kids.
According to the New York Post, who received a copy of the lawsuit filed in Westchester Supreme Court, Ms Pacchiana, alleges that the abuse began when she was seven and he was nine.
The lawsuit, alleges: ‘Beginning in or about 1976 and continuing until approximately 1979, Adam Savage, would repeatedly rape Miranda Pacchiana and force oral sex upon her, and forced Miranda to perform oral sex on him, along with other forms of sexual abuse.’
Savage is accused of preventing his sister from leaving the bed and anally raping her, while the lawsuit alleges that he nicknamed himself ‘the raping blob’ while claiming the abuse was a game.
Ms Pacchiana’s lawyer Jordan Merson said in a statement: ‘The prolific abuse by Mr. Savage as alleged in the Complaint has caused irreparable damage to my client that she will live with for the rest of her life.
‘Today is the first step in the direction of healing and justice.’
In a statement about her lawsuit, Ms Pacchina wrote: ‘As a child, this experience shook my sense of safety and crushed my self-confidence. For decades afterward, I dealt with periods of depression and near-constant anxiety. These symptoms interfered with all aspects of my life, stunting my career aspirations, and robbing me of countless simple pleasures. In my mid-twenties, I sought treatment for the abuse and so began a long, arduous process of working to address the emotional impact of my trauma. ‘I last made contact with my brother, Adam Savage, over two decades ago. At the time, I called him out for his callous attitude about the abuse and his apparent disregard for the damage he had caused, but he chose not to acknowledge or show any compassion for my pain. Not once in the ensuing years have I seen evidence that my brother cares to truly understand what he did to me. He gives me no reason to believe that he has meaningfully examined whatever compelled him to commit sexual crimes as a minor.
”But now, because of the NY Child Victims Act, I finally have the opportunity to pursue justice for the crimes my brother committed against me. While nothing can give back what Adam Savage took from me, I hope this lawsuit will also demonstrate to my fellow survivors that we do not deserve to carry the shame of sexual abuse and assault.’
Savage through his lawyer Andrew Brettler has now denied his sister’s allegations claiming she wants a ‘financial bonanza’
The statement by his lawyer says;
‘While I hope that my sister gets the help she needs to find peace, this needs to end. For many years, she has relentlessly and falsely attacked me and other members of my family to anyone who will listen.
‘By spreading numerous untrue stories about us in pursuit of a financial bonanza, she has tortured our entire family and estranged herself from all of us.
‘I will fight this groundless and offensive lawsuit and work to put this to rest once and for all.’
The star’s mother Karen Savage spoke out in support of Adam, saying: ‘It makes me very sad to say this, but my daughter suffers from severe mental health challenges, and it’s devastating that she’s putting Adam and our entire family through this.
‘Adam is a good man, and I support him completely.’
Ms Pacchiana’s lawyer Merson said that Karen’s comments were a possible violation of health information privacy and said: ‘The source of any mental health issues is clear and we appreciate defendant’s mother for confirming the significant damages in this case.
‘Although her mother apparently does not, we proudly support Ms. Pacchiana and all child sex abuse survivors who come forward.’
Ms Pacchiana, a social worker who lives in Connecticut, has blogged about the alleged abuse, claiming she lost her family after coming forward.
In the about section of her site, she wrote: ‘When I first disclosed to my family that my brother had abused me as a child, I thought my whole world would change. I assumed my family members would share my desire to examine what had gone wrong in our home and pursue a path toward healing together. I was sadly mistaken.
‘In fact, their behaviours left me feeling as though the abuse didn’t really matter. Yes, they believed me — but my family members still seemed determined to brush my trauma under the rug. Over time, I came to realise they viewed me as the problem for focusing on the abuse. Not the brother who had abused me.’
