As we reach the end of 2018, we’re looking back at some of the biggest news stories of the year. We’d be remiss if, in doing so, we failed to mention Datsik and the accusations of sexual misconduct against him. Even now, nine months later, it’s hard to piece together how it all went down in the ensuing media whirlwind.

To this day, no formal charges have been filed against Datsik, real name Troy Beetles.

On March 14, the original accusations became public via Twitter by the user @_princesssjay. Sharing a series of screenshots, the internet quickly took matters into its own hands, becoming a court of public opinion. In the #MeToo era, accusations of this nature are taken more seriously than ever before – and with the power of social media behind empowered women and allies, the accused can often see their lives destroyed before they even know what’s happening.

Most of the accusations revolved around the use of ketamine in the attempt to get women to sleep with him. One of the other most salient details of the accusations were the “TULSA” tour passes that were given to women, meant to be read as “A SLUT” backward.

Later that same day, Datsik issued an apology – of sorts.

“I am a vibe reader, I hang out with a ton of people after every show, and always keep a positive vibe. […] You should know that tour is a safe and fucking rad zone for us all. […] I don’t condone that kind of behavior and I care about every single person that I meet, on the real. I know this is a sensitive subject and I am also a sensitive dude, so please say what u must but honestly I want u to know that this shit means the world to me. […] I will make a bigger effort to make sure that nothing I do will be misinterpreted in the future.”

It did not go well.

The dance community, both fans and other producers, reacted with intense derision and vitriol to the news, and pleaded with Datsik to own up to the accusations and address them directly. Even Datsik’s long-time friend, Excision, didn’t have his back.

“In light of the allegations against some of the other names in the industry, I want to be clear I do not support nor condone any of the behavior that has been mentioned in the stories going around today.”

By the end of the first day, Space Jesus had pulled off of the Ninja Nation tour.

The next day, Carbin and Riot Ten pulled off the tour, as well. Later that day, Datsik dropped all remaining tour dates. Also later that day, Datsik’s management, label, and booking agency all dropped him.

Note, again, that at this point, no formal charges had been filed against Datsik.

Two days after the initial news, Ephwurd, a duo previously comprised of Datsik and Bais Haus, announced that Bais Haus would continue the project without Datsik, although that project was also dropped from its management.

Within a week, people had stopped talking about Datsik, but the damage was done. His career was in shambles, his friends had abandoned him, and all of his social media pages went quiet. A previous Datsik tour date was turned into a fundraiser for rape victims, with all of the proceeds going to the UI Rape Victim Advocacy Program.

It wasn’t for another four months before Ephwurd spoke out again, putting out a new song in the process.

“As for the accusations against Troy, that’s not the guy I know. Coming to the mutual agreement of removing him from the project was a heart-wrenching day for me, but it had to be done. I am respecting his decision to stay private and wish the best for him.”

In October, private messages between Datsik and a couple fans were made public, suggesting that he had plans to make a comeback in one way or another.

To a loyal fan he writes, “I really am grateful to have people like u to help me keep my head up in the dark times. It’s been tough over the last 6 months, but thru it all I’ve gotten sober and been working on a ton of new music. Thanks for ur continued support, it really means the world to me!”

To another he talks of a potential comeback, “No plans yet, but I will!”

There’s been no further word from Datsik since, and his social media accounts remain silent.

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: LOOKING BACK: Accusations Of Datsik’s Sexual Misconduct & The Fallout That Ensued

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