Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.
Actor Mackenzie Phillips has alleged that her father John, the lead singer of the 60s band The Mamas & The Papas, sexually assaulted her over a decade.
She asserts that their incestuous relationship transitioned into being ‘consensual’ due to a form of ‘Stockholm syndrome’ that her father induced.
When John Phillips passed away at 65 in 2001, few could have anticipated the revelations that would emerge years later.
The Mamas & The Papas were infamous for their drug-induced conflicts, and John Phillips was known for his behavior while under the influence.
However, his alleged misconduct extended beyond substance abuse.
Mackenzie Phillips, known for her role in One Day at a Time and daughter of John Phillips and Susan Adams, disclosed a shocking truth about her father that left the music industry and acquaintances in disbelief.
In 2009, she published her memoir, High on Arrival, where she detailed a ten-year incestuous relationship with her father.
While her stepmother Michelle Phillips labeled her claims as fabrications, her sister Chynna has supported her.
In an interview on Chynna’s YouTube channel, Mackenzie described the alleged abuse from her father and explained why she perceived it as ‘consensual’.
In an interview with People, she recounted that it started in the late 70s after a drug-infused party.
“I had tons of pills, and dad had tons of everything too. Eventually, I passed out on dad’s bed,” she stated.
She continued, saying that she woke up to find herself being raped by her father.
“Had this happened before? I didn’t know. All I can say is it was the first time I was aware of it,” she recalled.
During an appearance on Oprah years later, she mentioned that the situation escalated: “Fast-forward… and it’s 1981, maybe, and we’re touring and I begin waking up after drug-fuelled events with my pants around my ankles and my father sleeping beside me.”
She added that she had to suppress the memories: “Again, ‘Don’t think, don’t look, just keep going.'”
Mackenzie also noted: “It didn’t happen every day, it didn’t happen every week, but it certainly happened and it happened enough times.”
Following the initial assault, Mackenzie claimed she entered into a consensual sexual relationship with her father.
She explained: “It’s sort of the Stockholm Syndrome, where you begin to love your captor. And I felt great love for my father.”
The relationship ended when she became pregnant and was uncertain about the paternity.
In their YouTube video, Chynna expressed to her sister: “When I stood by you, I meant it with all my heart.
“And I believed you and I want you to know that I was proud of you for coming out, even though it was painful for everybody.”
If you’ve been affected by any issues in this article, you can reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Alternatively, you can chat online via online.rainn.org