Award-winning playwright, author, and the founding artistic director of the Gloucester Stage Company, Israel Horovitz, has been accused of sexual assault by 9 women and his son, Beastie Boys rapper and musician Adam Horovitz, aka Ad-Rock, has spoken out to say that he believes the allegations and stands behind the women. The stories range from the mid-1980s all the way up to last year and range from sexual abuse to inappropriate touching, with one of the women stating that she had known the elder Horovitz since she was 11-years old and considered him to be an honorary grandfather while another was Adam Horovitz's high school girlfriend. Israel Horovitz has released a statement claiming to have a "different memory" of the events.

The 78-year old Israel Horovitz responded to the allegations by saying that he had "a different memory of some of these events" and apologizing, "with all my heart to any woman who has ever felt compromised by my actions." The playwright went on to say that he felt "upset" to know that he caused pain to others. The New York Times recently ran an article detailing accusations of 9 women claiming that Horovitz had sexually assaulted them. Adam Horovitz released his own statement to the New York Times. He had this to say.

"I believe the allegations against my father are true, and I stand behind the women that made them."

Israel Horovitz has left the Massachusetts-based Gloucester Stage Company, of which he was a founding director and the theater itself is facing accusations that it knew about his alleged abuse since at least 1993, when a Boston paper published accusations against him from at least 10 women between 1989 and 1992. The Gloucester Theater cut ties with Horovitz last week after learning of the allegations. Elizabeth Neumeier, the Gloucester board's current president, said, "I apologize to the brave women who came forward in 1992 and 1993 but were not listened to." Neumeier went on to say that they are investigating all accusations, old and new.

In 1991, when Frédérique Giffard was 16-years old and an au pair for Israel Horovitz, she said he groped her breasts and placed her hand on his genitals. And last year, Maia Ermansons, then 21-years old, said that when she met to discuss a theater project with Mr. Horovitz, whom she had known since she was 11-years old, he kissed her hard and groped her breasts, remarking how "large and beautiful" they had become. Stunned, she replied, "Thank you." Ermansons said that he was like a grandfather to her and called his actions, "the ultimate betrayal." The rest of the allegations are similar and even worse, some accusing the playwright of rape.

Adam Horovitz is an outspoken feminist and has spoken out publicly about the subject since the early 1990s, after the Beastie Boys started with some questionable lyrics regarding women. The former Beastie Boy has been married to outspoken feminist, activist, musician, and Riot grrrl pioneer Kathleen Hanna since 2006. It's not surprising that Adam Horovitz has chosen to speak publicly about his father's allegations and taken the side of the women. You can read more about Israel Horovitz's sexual assault allegations via New York Times.