One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn accused of sexual harassment by cast and crew  

creator Mark Schwahn accused of sexual harassment by cast and crew

 creator Mark Schwahn has been accused of sexual harassment and physical and emotional manipulation by 18 female cast and crew members who worked on the TV drama, including stars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton.

In a joint letter released Monday, the women said they “stand together in support” of 

writer Audrey Wauchope, who over the weekend alleged on Twitter that she was subjected to unwanted touching and other forms of harassment by Schwahn, whom she did not refer to by name, while working on the series.

“I’m furious and sad and everything else for the women who have sat on that couch next to that man,” Wauchope tweeted. “And I’m furious and sad and everything else that years later I don’t feel safe to be able to do anything real about this and that it seems to be happening all over this town.”

, asserts that “Schwahn’s behavior over the duration of the filming of

was something of an ‘open secret.’ Many of us were, to varying degrees, manipulated psychologically and emotionally. More than one of us is still in treatment for post-traumatic stress. Many of us were put in uncomfortable positions and had to swiftly learn to fight back, sometimes physically, because it was made clear to us that the supervisors in the room were not the protectors they were supposed to be. Many of us were spoken to in ways that ran the spectrum from deeply upsetting, to traumatizing, to downright illegal. And a few of us were put in positions where we felt physically unsafe. More than one woman on our show had her career trajectory threatened.”

A representative for Schwahn did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment about the allegations.

 and served as the showrunner. Airing from 2003 to 2012 on the WB and the CW, the series followed a group of North Carolina teenagers through their high school years, and later in their adult lives.

, airs on E!. A spokesperson for that network said in a statement to EW, “We are monitoring the information carefully. E!, Universal Cable Productions, and Lionsgate Television are committed to providing a safe working environment in which everyone is treated respectfully and professionally.”

All of the female cast members of One Tree Hill have chosen this forum to stand together in support of Audrey Wauchope and one another. To use terminology that has become familiar as the systemic reality of sexual harassment and assault has come more and more to light, Mark Schwahn’s behavior over the duration of the filming of One Tree Hill was something of an “open secret.” Many of us were, to varying degrees, manipulated psychologically and emotionally. More than one of us is still in treatment for post-traumatic stress. Many of us were put in uncomfortable positions and had to swiftly learn to fight back, sometimes physically, because it was made clear to us that the supervisors in the room were not the protectors they were supposed to be. Many of us were spoken to in ways that ran the spectrum from deeply upsetting, to traumatizing, to downright illegal. And a few of us were put in positions where we felt physically unsafe. More than one woman on our show had her career trajectory threatened.

The through line in all of this was, and still is, our unwavering support of and faith in one another. We confided in each other. We set up safe spaces to talk about his behavior and how to handle it. To warn new women who joined our ranks. We understood that a lot of it was orchestrated in ways that kept it out of sight for the studio back home. We also understood that no one was fully unaware. The lack of action that has been routine, the turning of the other cheek, is intolerable. We collectively want to echo the calls of women everywhere that vehemently demand change, in all industries.

Many of us were told, during filming, that coming forward to talk about this culture would result in our show being canceled and hundreds of lovely, qualified, hard-working, and talented people losing their jobs. This is not an appropriate amount of pressure to put on young girls. Many of us since have stayed silent publicly but had very open channels of communication in our friend group and in our industry, because we want Tree Hill to remain the place “where everything’s better and everything’s safe” for our fans; some of whom have said that the show quite literally saved their lives. But the reality is, no space is safe when it has an underlying and infectious cancer. We have worked at taking our power back, making the conventions our own, and relishing in the good memories. But there is more work to be done.

We are all deeply grateful for Audrey’s courage. For one another. And for every male cast mate and crew member who has reached out to our group of women to offer their support these last few days. They echo the greater rallying cry that must lead us to change: Believe Women. We are all in this together.

Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz, Danneel Harris, Michaela McManus, Kate Voegele, Daphne Zuniga, India de Beaufort, Bevin Prince, Jana Kramer, Shantel Van Santen, and Allison Munn

Audrey Wauchope, Rachel Specter, Cristy Koebley, JoJo Stephens, Jane Beck, Tarin Squillante

And All the rest of the Women We Worked With Who Are Finding Their Voices as We Speak

James Lafferty, Austin Nichols, and Stephen Colletti voiced solidarity with their female costars on Twitter Monday, all saying with “stand with” the women who spoke up. “I applaud every woman on 

, every woman on earth, who stands up to a system that has failed them in the past and in this moment,” Lafferty wrote in part, while Nichols said, “We have to change. We have to be better. All of us. This is unacceptable.” Colletti addressed his female colleagues “who penned their letter with deep wounds,” saying he has “the utmost respect of your position in righting the wrongs you have endured. I stand for you, for better…”

— James Lafferty (@ThisIsLafferty) November 14, 2017

I stand with all my OTH sisters. We have to change. We have to be better. All of us. This is unacceptable.

— AUSTIN NICHOLS (@AustinNichols) November 14, 2017

I want to acknowledge the women of OTH who have penned their letter with deep wounds from a culture unacceptable for anyone, at any age, and in any business.

I have the utmost respect of your position in righting the wrongs you have endured. I stand for you, for better…

— Stephen Colletti (@StephenColletti) November 14, 2017