'One Tree Hill' women accuse show runner of sexual harassment, pen powerful group letter

In an open letter published on Variety Monday night, the cast and crew of One Tree Hill have chosen to take a stand and collectively accuse show runner Mark Schwahn of sexual harassment, following OTH writer Audrey Wauchope's remarks from this past weekend.

18 women united against Schwahn in the letter – that's 12 actresses and six writers, including stars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton.

"Many of us were, to varying degrees, manipulated psychologically and emotionally," the letter reads. "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."

Part of the on-set culture was the implicit and explicit understanding that women who spoke up would likely lose their jobs – if not future opportunities – and the show could be canceled. The cast and crew remained silent for years after the show concluded in 2012 to let it remain a safe space for fans.

Read the full letter here.

On Saturday, former One Tree Hill writer Audrey Wauchope posted a series of tweets describing the troublesome work environment of a television show she worked on (she did not initially name Schwahn or the show).

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Since the letter was published, men who used to work on the show have expressed their support of it.

"I stand with all the those who have suffered & pray that this evil will meet its demise in the strength of this movement," Chad Michael Murray wrote in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. "OTH Women- I’m so dang proud of you.”

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"The lack of action that has been routine, the turning of the other cheek, is intolerable," the women wrote in their open letter. "We collectively want to echo the calls of women everywhere that vehemently demand change, in all industries."

A lawyer for Schwahn did not immediately reply to Mashable's request for comment.