Michael Rainey Jr. ‘deeply saddened and shocked’ after being sexually assaulted on livestream

Michael Rainey Jr. spoke out on Monday after he was sexually assaulted by TyTy James during an appearance on Twitch livestream.

The “Power Book II: Ghost” actor was inappropriately touched by James’ sister while appearing as a guest on the Twitch series. The 23-year-old released a statement through his spokesperson about the incident, which was filmed and shared by viewers on X (Twitter).

Rainey was “deeply saddened and shocked by the events” that took place during the livestream over the weekend, his rep said in a statement to People. “He is still processing what happened and isn’t sure what to make of it,” the rep said.

“This situation is not taken lightly,” the statement continued. “Sexual harassment and assault are serious and unacceptable acts. Exploiting a person’s fame in this way devalues ​​entertainers and underscores the need to respect their humanity. Those who entertain us are human beings like everyone else.”

In the video, Rainey is seen chatting with several others in a group when James’ sister approaches him and begins touching the actor without his consent. Rainey appears visibly uncomfortable and tries to block her. The “Power” star reportedly left the livestream shortly after the incident.

He later addressed the assault in a post on his Instagram stories, according to People. Rainey shared that he was “still in shock” and “can’t take it lightly because I know I would be in serious trouble if the roles were reversed.”

“This is an unfortunate situation that I cannot condone in any way,” he wrote on the social media platform. “The fact is that sexual assault is never okay, regardless of gender or status. We are all human and should respect each other. Most importantly, we respect ourselves.”

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James apologized on behalf of his sister, saying in a statement: “Following the events that unfolded during my stream last night, I would like to sincerely apologize to Michael and his family for what happened.”

“My little sister was completely misbehaving and misbehaving. What she did was very inappropriate and unacceptable. I am truly embarrassed and disgusted by her behavior,” James wrote on Instagram. “I completely respect what Michael wants to do in this situation. After watching the clip, I was completely baffled by what she did. I will be taking extreme precautions on future streams to avoid similar issues and have banned her from participating in future streams. I do not tolerate any form of abuse.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to Rainn.org.