Dream Singer Melissa Schuman Files Police Report on Nick Carter Rape Allegations

Melissa Schuman and Nick Carter (Inset)
Jon Kopaloff, David Becker/Getty Images

The former pop singer, who first went public with her accusations against Carter in November, filed a report with the Santa Monica Police Department on Wednesday.

Former pop singer Melissa Schuman has filed a filed a police report against Nick Carter.

Schuman -- who first went public with her allegations against the Backstreet Boy singer in November, claiming that he raped her in 2003 when she was 18 and he was 22 -- confirmed to ET that she'd filed a report with the Santa Monica Police Department on Wednesday.

“Filing the police report today was the single most empowering thing I have ever done for myself," Schuman, 33, told ET. "I thought it was an option I could no longer pursue. A huge thank you to RAINN [the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network] for empowering me to take this step."

Schuman also took to Twitter on Wednesday where she wrote, "I’m finally doing what I thought I could no longer do. Im filing a police report #timesup."

ET has reached out to Carter's rep for comment, as well as the Santa Monica Police Department.

Schuman, a member of the early 2000s girl group Dream, initially came forward with allegations in a post on her personal blog last fall, claiming that Carter raped her in a bathroom after she'd come over to his house.

She further wrote that she didn't tell anyone about the alleged encounter for years for fear of people not believing her, and even sang a duet with Carter before losing interest in a career as a recording artist. Carter denied the allegations made in Schuman's post, stating that he was "shocked and saddened" by her accusations.

"Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual," Carter said in a statement to ET. "We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally. This is the first that I am hearing about these accusations, nearly two decades later. It is contrary to my nature and everything I hold dear to intentionally cause someone discomfort or harm."

Schuman said at the time that she did consider pressing charges against the boy band member, claiming she was warned that she "would likely be buried in humiliation, accused of being fame hungry, and it would ultimately hurt me professionally as well as publicly."

"I feel I have an obligation now to come forward with the hope and intention to inspire and encourage other victims to tell their story. We are stronger in numbers," Schuman concluded her post. If you are reading this and you have been assaulted, know you don’t have to be silent and you are not alone. I know it’s scary. I’m scared. I believe you. I stand with you and together I hope we can bring light to things that have been lost in the darkness for so long."

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