An Austin-area woman said Ain't It Cool News founder Harry Knowles sexually assaulted her at an Alamo Drafthouse event — but the reason she's speaking out now is she believes change is coming.
”Harry Knowles groped me, opportunistically, on more than one occasion," said Jasmine Baker. ”I cannot just stay silent. I am not interested in remaining silent."
In 1999-2000, Baker was familiar with Knowles and his website, as they often attended the same Drafthouse events. Baker was at a Drafthouse event when Knowles rubbed up against her buttocks and legs in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. While she was initially willing to consider it an accident, on a later occasion he rubbed up against her again; she confronted him about his behavior, and made it clear that he did not have her consent to touch her in any manner. ”He just giggled about it," she said. On at least one occasion, she said he also put his hand under her shirt.
IndieWire spoke with two friends of Baker's who confirmed that she had shared stories of the incidents, and that Baker told them of multiple occurrences in which Knowles touched her without consent.
Reached by phone, Knowles responded to the charges: ”I categorically deny it." Knowles said they were friends and ”she treated me like a confidante." He said their friendship ended in 2002, shortly after Knowles and a mutual friend broke up.
