Oprah Talks Sex Trafficking Allegations: "I Can't Imagine An Uglier Accusation"

BY Erika Marie 2.7K Views
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Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey penned an article for "O Magazine" where she addresses the rumors that she was arrested for sex trafficking and child pornography.

Theories, conspiracy or otherwise, tend not to need factual proof in order to become a hot topic on social media. If something is controversial, especially if it includes names of respected, famous figures, it takes only a few moments for it trend. That's exactly what happened to Oprah Winfrey back in March when she found herself as the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter after allegations that she'd been arrested for sex trafficking and child pornography ran rampant.

Recently, Oprah took to her own platform, O Magazine, to address the rumors that left her stunned. She said she was in bed lost in a book when she received a call about her name going viral. "I can’t and don’t want to imagine an uglier accusation," she wrote in her article. She said when she first read it, she was confused. "But I'm in my bed in my pj's and socks, and somehow #OprahArrested is a thing. My worst fear realized. Being slandered, accused of a crime I didn’t commit."

Oprah went on to pen how the false accusations triggered reminders of the abuse she suffered as a child. "Lies are like those lashes. As a young girl, I never got angry; whippings made me sad," she added. "The same is true today. Except the sadness isn’t for myself—it’s for what I see the world becoming. How easy it is to slice, destroy, cancel someone with vitriol. How easily people swallow and spread that vitriol with gleeful memes." She continued, "To paraphrase Genesis 50:20: What man intended for evil, God intended for good."

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.