Trigger Warning: This article discusses topics of sexual assault and rape.

Melanie Martinez, a pop-star known for comforting those who do not fit in, has been re-accused of committing a sex crime against her former friend, Timothy Heller. 

Heller came forward in December 2017, claiming that she was coerced into sexual contact by Martinez during a sleepover they were having. She came out about this on Twitter, now X, starting her statement by talking about her codependency on Martinez.

 “Codependency works in a lot of strange ways. In my relationship with this friend, I was dependent on helping her with her life,” Heller states.

Further into the statement, Heller explains that she had a sleepover with Martinez, where she was begged for hours to have some form of sexual contact. Heller says that she repeatedly said no, but Martinez persisted until Heller complied out of exhaustion and confusion to one of Martinez’s requests. However, according to Heller, it went further than what she agreed to. 

“[She] never said no to what we chose to do together. And although we parted ways, I am sending her love and light always,” Martinez replied after Heller’s statement was released.

So, why is this important now? 

On July 19, 2024, Heller had released a video to her TikTok account after years of being silent. This video consists of reiterating her accusation, and stating that she never lied.. 

“During the MeToo movement, I chose to speak out against a former friend that has SA’d me. I was young, naive, and could never imagine how this would end up affecting my life,” Heller said.

For the rest of Heller’s video, she talks about how Martinez’s fans ran her off the internet to try and clear their idol’s name, stating that she had been doxxed and threatened for years. She spoke about how isolated she felt within her own mind, and that she was beginning to question the worth of her life. 

Martinez has yet to respond to this video as of Sept. 9, although fans don’t know if she ever will.

This video sent older Martinez fans into a deep dive of the past. Most of her fanbase was young when the allegations first came out. In the midst of fans trying to find the truth, a rumor went around stating that Heller had allegedly admitted to lying about the accusations against Martinez, which was later disproved by Heller herself when she clarified she never lied or said she was lying. This new piece of evidence made the older fans of Martinez’s to rethink who they should support. Especially her fans who have been victims of sexual assault. 

“To the people who didn’t believe Timothy Heller, I also don’t remember the date of my assaults. I never reported my ex to the police. I dated my ex for another three months. I didn’t say the word no. Am I a liar to you? Are you going to tell me you don’t believe my story?… You’re actively discrediting all victims with this rhetoric,” @s0f.jpeg explains on TikTok.

When it all comes down to it, we don’t really know the celebrities we idolize? Could Martinez be innocent? Sure. But do you want to be on her side if she isn’t? Parasocial relationships are only good for one thing; clouding people’s judgments.