Woman Says Bob Dylan Sexually Abused Her As Minor: Lawsuit

GREENWICH, CT — A Greenwich woman has filed a lawsuit against musician Bob Dylan, claiming he sexually abused her in his New York City apartment when she was 12 years old in 1965.

According to the 13-page complaint filed in New York County Supreme Court last Friday, the woman, referred to as "J.C.", claimed that over a six-week period between April and May of 1965, Dylan began "grooming" her and "established an emotional connection with the plaintiff, J.C., to lower her inhibitions with the object of sexually abusing her, which he did, coupled with the provision of drugs, alcohol, and, threats of physical violence, leaving her emotionally scarred and psychologically damaged to this day."

In the complaint, the woman accuses Dylan, 80, of assault, battery, false imprisonment and emotional distress.

The complaint says "that at certain times the sexual abuse of J.C. by the defendant, Dylan, occurred in his apartment at the Hotel Chelsea" in New York City, and that the acts caused "severe emotional and psychological distress, humiliation, fright, disassociation, anger, depression, anxiety, personal turmoil and loss of faith, a severe shock to her nervous system, physical pain and mental anguish, and emotional and psychological damage."

The woman is seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial against Dylan, whose given name is Robert Allen Zimmerman.

The lawsuit was filed as part of New York State's Child victim Act look-back window, which expired on Aug. 14. The window was for adults who were time-barred from filing a civil suit for sex crimes that happened when they were minors.

According to the New York Post, a spokesman for Dylan said the 56-year-old claim is "untrue and will be vigorously defended."