By Catrina Thomen, Arts Editor
Many younger audience members on social media are aware of content creators David Dobrick and the "Vlog Squad." The group began in 2015 on YouTube after Vine had been shut down and soon gained a large following with Dobrick’s daily vlogs.
Featuring "half scripted" content bits like reality tv, pranks, and emotional surprises, the Dobricks' channel was at its peak with 621 videos and 8,269,665,818 total views until rape allegations were brought against one of its former members, Dominykas Zeglaitis (Durte Dom).
In 2018, Dobrick uploaded a video in which Zeglaitis participates in a threesome with two women at a party. Over the past weeks, one of the participating women stepped forward about her unsettling experience, speaking to Insider senior reporter Kat Tenbarge. In a phone interview with Tenbarge, "Hannah" (the pseudonyms given by Insider who does know her identity) revealed how in the vlog it appeared she had a night out partying and a consensual threesome. However, it left her with great trauma.
“It seemed like I had a super-fun night with these famous vloggers basically, which is not what happened,” "Hannah" said. “I was exploited for content and stripped of autonomy and a voice.”
At the time when the video was recorded, "Hannah" was 20 years old and she & her friends were attending a private liberal-arts school in Los Angeles. "Hannah" wasn't familiar with the "Vlog Squad" and their content, but her friends were huge fans so having the chance to go to their mansion was a fun opportunity for the group. Upon arrival, Zeglaitis told the group of girls they were filming a video where they would participate in a fivesome. All of the girls were uncomfortable with the idea.
The friend group partied with the "Vlog Squad" and were supplied with various amounts of liquor by member Todd Smith despite being underage. In "Hannah's" first incident with Zeglaitis (whose role in the "Vlog Squad" was a sex addict), he pulled her into a room one-on-one and tried to engage in sexual activity. Despite her insisting they don't, this was followed by an attempt of persuasion by Zeglaitis in which "Hannah" agreed to only kiss him so she can access the door behind him and return to her friends in the main room.
“There were definitely times she was drinking it of her own volition, but there were also times where he was clearly trying to get her to drink more,” "Hannah's" friend "Sarah" said. “She was not fully coherent and articulate.”
"Hannah's" night continued with hard partying to the point where she became too intoxicated for her own well-being. Zeglaitis then had sex with her regardless of the fact that she earlier rejected him. By this time, she was far too drunk to fully function or give consent.
The vlog shows clips of Zeglaitis, "Hannah," and the third party entering the room implying the group had a consensual threesome. Already being viewed five million times, the vlog was deleted after "Hannah" expressed her trauma to Zeglaitis via text message.
"I want to apologize to her and her friends for ever putting them in an environment that I enabled that made them feel like their safety and values were compromised," Dobrik said. "I'm so sorry."
Sinse the allegations, YouTube suspended monetization on Dobrick’s three channels and demonetized Zeglaitis’s channel. Additionally, 13 brands have cut ties with Dobrick. He has been removed as an owner of the Angel City Football Club, stepped down from the board for Dispo (the app he co-founded), and will now be taking a break from social media.
As for Zeglaitis, "Hannah" hasn’t called the police into the situation and no charges have been filed against him for the alleged rape.
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