Paula Abdul will not let Nigel Lythgoe defame her so lightly.

Earlier this week, Lythgoe, an American Idol producer, reacted to Abdul’s sexual assault lawsuit filed in December 2023 by labelling the charges “pure fiction” and blaming Abdul of sensationalizing her stories for “attention.”

He also showed text communications between him and Abdul over the years, with the latter referring to her alleged abuser as “sweetheart” and praising him for the numerous gifts he sent her.

But on Wednesday, Abdul’s lawyer Melissa Eubanks struck back, accusing Lythgoe of “classic victim shaming” in a statement released with People Magazine.

“Mr. Lythgoe fails to recognize his position of power over Ms. Abdul. “He was a producer on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, and she was the talent,” Eubanks explained.

She stated that due of her position of power, “It is no surprise that Ms. Abdul placated to his ego with positive messaging and seeming adoration,” which explains the allegedly pleasant texts.

The defense attorney went on to say, “These are the defenses that many women like Ms. Abdul had to adopt to deal with men who abuse their power.”

Since Abdul’s December 2023 lawsuit, three other women have come forward with similar claims against Lythgoe.