Quantasia Sharpton, a woman who’s suing Usher Raymond for exposing her to genital herpes, says the singer failed to disclose his condition before having sex with her.
The 38-year-old Grammy winner has been reportedly diagnosed with herpes — although he has never confirmed having the incurable disease.
Sharpton, during a press conference on Monday, said she met the singer when she attended his concert some years ago.
The woman who now has a son says she was 19 at the time.
Sharpton said she was handpicked by a security guard at the concert, after which she dropped her number for subsequent contact.
“I went to his concert with some friends a few years ago to celebrate my birthday. I was wearing a birthday crown and because of that, I was selected to go backstage before the show. Later a security guard picked me up and asked me for my number,” she said.
“He told me Usher had seen me backstage and was interested in me. After the show, my friends and I returned to the hotel. I got a call from Usher on a blocked number and he asked me what hotel I was saying.
“About an hour later, he arrived. We spoke for a while and then he made sexual contact. He never warned me about any STDs. It was just after my nineteen birthday. I never heard from him again.
“When I first heard reports that he had herpes, I could not believe it. I had a child a year ago, and I know I was negative. Although I was negative, I was upset by the report because I wouldn’t have consented if I had known.
“I wouldn’t have taken the risk of getting an incurable disease. My health is very important to me especially now that I am a mother.
“I feel like my rights were violated. Usher, if you are negative, please say so. If you are positive, you need to warn your sex partners so that they can make their own informed decisions.”
What is herpes?
Herpes is a common STD that any sexually active person can get. Most people with the virus don’t have symptoms.
It can be contracted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the disease.
There is no cure for herpes although there are medications that can be taken to make it less likely to pass the disease to sex partners.
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