Lena Dunham released a statement addressing the critics that accused her of abusing her younger sister when they were girls.

Critics Accuse Lena Dunham Of Abusing Her Sister

Earlier this week, Kevin D Williamson, a writer for The National Review claimed that Dunham described an instance of sexual abuse in her bestselling book Not That Kind of Girl. Williamson pointed to a passage in which Dunham describes bribing her little sister for affection and being a young girl fascinated with vaginas. This prompted a second article, posted on the right-leaning blog TruthRevolt, titled “Lena Dunham Describes Sexually Abusing Her Little Sister.”

Dunham immediately responded with a cease and desist letter to TruthRevolt and a short Twitter rant, in which she called the allegations “really f—king upsetting and disgusting.”

Lena Dunham Apologizes For 'Sexual Predator' Joke

The Girls creator published a longer, formal response on Tuesday in Time, saying she was “dismayed” over the accusations she sexually abused her sister. Dunham also apologized for joking about being a “sexual predator” when it came to giving her sister candy in exchange for hugs – a passage that raised eyebrows among many readers.

“As she grew, I took to bribing her for her time and affection: one dollar in quarters if I could do her makeup like a ‘motorcycle chick.’ Three pieces of candy if I could kiss her on the lips for five seconds. Whatever she wanted to watch on TV if she would just ‘relax on me.’ Basically, anything a sexual predator might do to woo a small suburban girl I was trying,” Dunham writes in Not That Kind of Girl.

Dunham also offered her apology to victims of childhood sexual abuse who may have found the passage triggering. However, Dunham was careful to note that she was not apologizing for her story, and insisted that Grace Dunham, her sister, approved all mentions of her throughout the book.

“I am dismayed over the recent interpretation of events described in my book 'Not That Kind of Girl.' First and foremost, I want to be very clear that I do not condone any kind of abuse under any circumstances.

Childhood sexual abuse is a life-shattering event for so many, and I have been vocal about the rights of survivors. If the situations described in my book have been painful or triggering for people to read, I am sorry, as that was never my intention. I am also aware that the comic use of the term ‘sexual predator’ was insensitive, and I’m sorry for that as well.

As for my sibling, Grace, she is my best friend, and anything I have written about her has been published with her approval.”

Grace Dunham Responds To Allegations Of Abuse

Grace Dunham also responded to the allegations on Twitter, though she did not explicitly mention the articles or the alleged instance of sexual abuse. Instead, Grace commented on how social norms impose strict boundaries on discussions of sexuality.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.