MythBusters’ Adam Savage Accused Of Sexual Assault By Sister
Adam Savage spent 15 years on the hit TV show MythBusters using various scientific methods in testing rationality behind myths, adages, movie scenes, internet videos, news stories, and rumors.
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Adam Savage spent 15 years on the hit TV show MythBusters using various scientific methods in testing rationality behind myths, adages, movie scenes, internet videos, news stories, and rumors. Today, Savage will not have the ability to use anything but his voice to defend himself as he attempts to fight a lawsuit of alleged sexual abuse leveled at him by his sister, Miranda Pacchiana. The lawsuit, filed in New York, claims that Savage repeatedly sexually assaulted Pacchiana over the course of a few years beginning when she was seven years old and he was nine.
Pacchiana, who is a social worker, blogged about the after-effects in dealing with her family since she finally opened up about the alleged sexual abuse. She wrote in The Second Wound, “When I first disclosed to my family that my brother had abused me as a child, I thought my whole world would change. I assumed my family members would share my desire to examine what had gone wrong in our home and pursue a path toward healing together. I was sadly mistaken.”
She continued on, talking about how her family feels she is the problem, not her brother. “In fact, their behaviors left me feeling as though the abuse didn’t really matter,” she continued. “Yes, they believed me — but my family members still seemed determined to brush my trauma under the rug. Over time, I came to realize they viewed me as the problem for focusing on the abuse. Not the brother who had abused me.” She claims she has had no contact with her brother in over twenty years.
Details from the lawsuit, obtained by the New York Post, are quite graphic. “Beginning in or about 1976 and continuing until approximately 1979, Adam Savage, would repeatedly rape Miranda Pacchiana and force oral sex upon her, and forced Miranda to perform oral sex on him, along with other forms of sexual abuse.” Also, according to the lawsuit, Savage would mask the raping as a game, calling himself the “raping blob”. He would prevent Pacchiana from leaving the bed, then anally raping her.
Adam Savage denied all allegations and through his lawyer, Andrew Brettler, he released a statement via Variety. “While I hope that my sister gets the help she needs to find peace, this needs to end. For many years, she has relentlessly and falsely attacked me and other members of my family to anyone who will listen,” Savage said. “By spreading numerous untrue stories about us in pursuit of a financial bonanza, she has tortured our entire family and estranged herself from all of us. I will fight this groundless and offensive lawsuit and work to put this to rest once and for all.”
But it isn’t only Savage who is defending himself, his mother, Karen Savage, has also come out and spoke against her daughter’s allegations. “It makes me very sad to say this, but my daughter suffers from severe mental health challenges, and it’s devastating that she’s putting Adam and our entire family through this. Adam is a good man, and I support him completely.”
Pacchiana’s lawyer, Jordan Merson, also released a statement in part countering Karen Savage’s comments, “The prolific abuse by Mr. Savage as alleged in the Complaint has caused irreparable damage to my client that she will live with for the rest of her life. Today is the first step in the direction of healing and justice.”
He then went on to say that Karen’s comments about her daughter were “a possible HIPAA violation.” He concluded, “The source of any mental health issues is clear and we appreciate the defendant’s mother for confirming the significant damages in this case,” he said. “Although her mother apparently does not, we proudly support Ms. Pacchiana and all child sex abuse survivors who come forward.”
The lawsuit was filed under the New York Child Victims Act. This act allows potential victims a one-year look-back period to bring claims forward that already had exceeded the statute of limitations. The act was scheduled to end this summer but because of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been extended an additional five-months.
