Ken Stringfellow of the Posies | Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Investigation

Content warning: sexual abuse

According to KUOW, three women have come forward to share stories of forced sex and abuse by Stringfellow dating back to 2015. Each woman says they found him charismatic and compelling at first, but they’ve decided to come forward to help others recognize abuse in their own relationships.

One woman says in 2015, she kept telling Stringfellow she couldn’t have sex because of a recent surgery, but he forced himself on her in a men’s bathroom in San Francisco. She also reports he bit her vagina, and it hurt badly. When they messaged each other on Facebook a few days later, KUOW reports she told him, “I was outmatched physically and deceived emotionally.” Stringfellow seemed to acknowledge what happened, reportedly saying in messages seen by KUOW: “I am definitely sorry about it.”

KUOW reports it took her three weeks before she “realized the trauma [she] had experienced” and could finally say her encounter with Stringfellow was not consensual. “It’s very difficult to gain control over a man 5’11” who is incredibly drunk,” she told her doctor.

Another woman says when she first met Stringfellow, they recorded music and toured together. But after several years, he reportedly became abusive. KUOW says she tried to end the relationship several times, but once, Stringfellow threatened to commit suicide if she stopped responding to his messages. When she ended it for good in 2017, KUOW reports Stringfellow continued to harrass her with multiple messages. In a continued attempt to control the narrative, multiple sources confirmed to KUOW that Stringfellow portrayed the woman to others in his life as a “vindicative ex” who “threatened to make grim public allegations against him after they’d split.”

To try to stop his harassment and keep a low profile, the woman made the difficult decision to stop playing music.

A third woman says she was “unsettled” in 2009 when she spoke with Stringfellow after a Posies show and he suggested she come back to his hotel. When she went to another Posies show years later in 2018, he messaged her on Facebook the next day, and they started hooking up. Unfortunately, she reported experiencing abuse by Stringfellow including hard biting on her arm while she was driving and unwanted anal sex while she was asleep.

KUOW says they also spoke with seven women who said they didn’t experience abuse when they were intimate with Ken Stringfellow. However, four of these women, including his ex-wife Kim Warnick, also said he bit them in an “unwelcome” way and was “controlling.” One woman said Stringfellow often complained to her ironically that “the Me Too era was a scary time to be a man.”

Please know that you’re not alone. There are people ready to listen and help.

National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network):

• 1 800 656 HOPE (4673)

This free, confidential hotline connects you to a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.

We continue to investigate potential claims for sexual assault and harassment.  If you are seeking legal help, or just want to get more information, please click below to speak to one of our attorneys confidentially.

Karen is a partner in our sexual assault practice group. She has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in Southern California for the last fifteen years. She is willing to listen to your story, without judgment. She’s on your side.

Karen has over two decades of litigation experience in some of the nation’s most complex cases, and she is particularly focused on sexual abuse claims and women’s health issues.

Karen believes in advocating for the victims who’ve been taken advantage of. She currently represents former members of Boy Scouts of America in claims of sexual abuse by scoutmasters, troop leaders and other adults.  She also represents survivors who experienced Catholic Clergy sexual abuse in claims against the Archdiocese of New Orleans, which is currently in a legal restructuring process.

Feedback from Karen’s Clients

“Gibbs Law Group has provided a foundation of safety, trauma-informed support and understanding as I seek to hold my abuser accountable. Working with Karen and Jeff has empowered other survivors and I to stand up against the pervasive rape culture of the music industry.” —Michaela H.