“My name is Ashley Solis, remember that name. I hope every woman or man out there who is a survivor hears my story, and I hope my story gives them courage to speak out. It has taken me a long time to get to this point to come up publicly and speak my truth. I know a lot of you are probably wondering who I was or if I even existed. I was afraid. I’m not afraid anymore, and I do exist. I am here to take back the power and take back control. I am a survivor of assault and harassment. Deshaun Watson is my assaulter and my harasser. Deshaun Watson assaulted and harassed me on March 30th, 2020, in my own home doing what I love most, massage therapy. I am a licensed massage therapist, and now that profession that I love so much has been forever tainted. I am deeply saddened but not surprised to see so many victim-shaming in the press, and in online commenters. They have absolutely no idea what I’m going through or what happened to me. This incident has impacted me in many ways, and those ways are hard to describe. I feel a range of emotions – guilt, embarrassment, shame, courage, anger, sadness, and numbness. Some days I feel like a hero and some days I feel like a failure. I replay the incident over and over in my head as if I’m trying to wake up from some horrible nightmare, only that nightmare is real. I blame myself at times, which is insane. Society has groomed women into believing that it’s their fault when they’re harassed or assaulted, as if somehow we ask for it, or if somehow we could have prevented it. I can no longer practice the profession that I love without shaking during the session. My hands shake whenever I place them on clients, and I’ve had to cut the sessions short. If he only knew how heartbreaking that is to me. I got into massage therapy to heal people. To heal their minds and their bodies. To bring peace to their souls. Deshaun Watson has robbed me of that. He took that away from me. He tainted a profession in which I take enormous pride. Flashes of Watson’s face rush to me in the moment. I think of his penis touching me, which sends me into a tailspin. I suffer from panic attacks, anxiety, and depression. I am in counseling as a result of Deshaun Watson’s actions. I hope he knows how much pain he has inflicted on me emotionally and physically, and I hope he knows how much pain he’s inflicted on these other survivors. My father, who was once a diehard Texans fan, can no longer mention his name without turning red and seething with disappointment. That’s the most heart-breaking aspect of it all, we were all deceived into thinking Deshaun Watson was a good guy, and unfortunately we know that good guys can do terrible things. This incident is a part of me but it’s not all of me. I will not let Deshaun Watson define who I am. I will not let him win. He needs to be held accountable for his actions. I will not let him take my power away. I am stronger now and I know who I am. People say that I’m doing this just for money, that is false. I come forward now so that Deshaun Watson does not assault another woman, and I come forward with the hopes that no other human being will assault another in the future. I want to prevent this kind of conduct. I come forward now to put a change in our society. I am seeking justice not just behalf on myself, but for all the survivors. I stand with you all. This is about having my voice heard, and about having other survivors’ voices heard. My name is Ashley Solis and I am a survivor.”
The first Deshaun Watson accuser finally revealed herself in an emotional press conference on Monday, as the mysterious woman began her powerful presser with the words ‘My name is Ashley Solis, remember that name.’
In the five-minute long statement, she acknowledges herself as a survivor to Watson’s sexual assault and harassment, and said she can no longer give massages without her hands shaking from the chilling memories she still has from her time alone with Watson in her home on March 30th, 2020.
She said these flashbacks trigger panic attacks, anxiety, and depression, and added that flashes of Watson’s face and penis touching her send her into emotional tailspins that make her have to cut short massage sessions she has with new clients.
Perhaps the most emphatic moment of the statement was when she said ‘we were all deceived into thinking Deshaun Watson was a good guy’, and then adding 'unfortunately we know that 'good guys' can do terrible things.'
She Concluded her press conference by saying she’s not seeking financial gain, but simply try to prevent Watson from victimizing more women.
On Tuesday, both Nike and ‘Beats By Dre’ suspended their endorsement deals with the Texans All-Pro quarterback, who currently has 22 women alleging sexual assault against him, all in the form of inappropriate sexual advances during massages.
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