Electronic music singer FKA twigs (real name
Tahliah Debrett Barnett) sued actor Shia LaBeouf for allegedly
subjecting her to physical, emotional and mental abuse during a romantic
relationship that lasted just under a year.

In the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior
Court, FKA twigs accuses him of “relentless abuse,” including sexual battery,
assault and infliction of emotional distress, choking her and throwing her
against a car on Valentine’s Day 2019. She also claims he knowingly gave her a sexually
transmitted disease.

On Instagram on Friday, FKA twigs said it was
difficult to “process” that she was in an abusive relationship.

“My second worst nightmare is being
forced to share with the world that I am a survivor of domestic violence,”
she said. “My first worst nightmare is not telling anyone and knowing that
I could have helped even just one person by sharing my story.”

Barnett’s attorney Freedman said in a
statement that Barnett initially wanted to resolve the matter privately on
condition the actor agree to receive “meaningful and consistent psychological
treatment”.

Since he was unwilling to agree to get
appropriate help, Barnett filed this suit to prevent others from unknowingly
suffering similar abuse by him, Freedman said.

LaBeouf said not all the allegations were
true, in an email statement to the New York Times, which also reported he said,

“I have no excuses for my alcoholism or
aggression, only rationalizations…. I have a history of hurting the people
closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There
is nothing else I can really say.”