'Shocked and saddened': Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter issues statement amid rape accusation

Melissa Schuman has accused Carter of raping her in 2002 when she was 18 and he was 22 years old.

Nick Carter has denied the rape accusation made against him by Melissa Schuman, who is best known for being in the 1990s girl group Dream.

In a statement issued to CNN, the Backstreet Boys singer has said that he is "shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman's accusations". Carter said while he was with Schuman he did not know that "anything we did was not consensual".

Watching #dwts and visualizing ðŸ’ƒðŸ» #ballroondreams #abc #dancingwiththestars hair cut and color by the impeccable @sherri_bellesirenesalon @bellesirenesalon ðŸ’„Makeup by @beautifulfxbyaubrey
A post shared by Melissa // Schuman (@themelissaschuman) on Sep 26, 2017 at 9:28pm PDT

"We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally," he said. "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 has accused Carter of raping her at his apartment during a party in 2002 when she was 18 and he was 22 years old.

She has detailed the alleged incident in her personal blog, Melissa Explains It All, saying that she met Carter a few years after she had a conversation with him over the phone as a courtesy to him and her representatives from her record label.

As they were cast in a TV movie, Carter allegedly invited Schuman to join him and his friends at his apartment for a party. When she and her friend arrived at Carter's place, they were allegedly offered alcohol, and after some time had passed, Carter asked Schuman to join him in his office to listen to songs he was working on.

Melissa says they kissed and he "was aware that I was a virgin and that I held to religious conservative Christian values. I was vocal about this. Everyone knew about this, including those who repped me."

Carter then allegedly took Schuman to a bathroom adjacent to the office where he started to unbutton her pants and when she told him to stop, he "did not listen". When someone knocked on the bathroom door, Nick allegedly took her to another bathroom, where she was "forced" to perform oral sex.

Schuman has claimed that Carter took her to a bedroom and "threw me on the bed and climbed on top of me" and then raped her.