Music legend Smokey Robinson is facing a serious legal battle after four former housekeepers filed a lawsuit against him in Los Angeles, accusing the 84-year-old of multiple acts of sexual assault and rape. The women, identified as Jane Does, claim the abuse took place over several years while they were employed in the Robinson household.
According to the lawsuit, the women allege that Robinson repeatedly assaulted them while his wife, Frances Gladney Robinson, was away from the home. The accusations range from forced oral sex to full rape, with several of the women saying he ignored repeated pleas to stop. Some of the assaults allegedly occurred as far back as 2007.
The complaint also accuses Robinson of disturbing patterns, such as calling the women into his bedroom and laying towels down to avoid dirtying the sheets before allegedly raping them. Two of the women claim Robinson ejaculated inside them without using protection.
Though Frances Robinson is not accused of participating in any of the alleged assaults, she is named in the lawsuit for allegedly enabling the abuse by turning a blind eye to her husband’s conduct. The plaintiffs claim she knowingly allowed them to work in an environment she knew was unsafe, and also mistreated them through verbal abuse and unreasonable work demands.
The plaintiffs are suing for sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, and gender-based violence, seeking a minimum of $50 million in damages. As of now, neither Smokey nor Frances Robinson has publicly responded to the lawsuit.
If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, help is available through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE or at rainn.org.
