Nick Carter's rape accuser tears up explaining why she came forward now

Nick Carter performs with the Backstreet Boys during the 2016 Miss USA pageant at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., June 5, 2016. REUTERS/Steve Marcus - RTSG5GV

Nick Carter‘s sexual assault accuser burst into tears as she revealed why it was time to tell her story.

“Well since the Harvey Weinstein allegations came out, it was a big trigger for me,” Melissa Schuman, member of the girl group Dream, explained to Dr. Oz. “I started to notice that I had kind of suppressed a lot of the memories for years with all these other brave women coming forward.”

Earlier this month Schuman, 33, alleged on her personal blog that she was raped by the Backstreet Boys singer when she was 19. He was 22 at the time.

In the harrowing account, she claims Carter — now 37 — brought her into a bathroom during a casual social gathering at his home and forced oral sex on her, before leading her to a bedroom, climbing on top of her and raping her.

“I started to notice I had a lot of anxiety manifesting in my body,” she said of holding on to the memory of her encounter with the boy band member in light of rampant accusations making headlines. “That was really making it hard for me to just carry on like every single day it was really impacting me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually,” she added.

Carter, who ended up reuniting with Schuman years after the alleged incident for a performance, has since denied her story.

“I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman’s accusations,” read a statement from Carter released to Page Six at the time. “Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual. We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally. 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 told Oz that she initially didn’t want to come forward, not wanting to be “the whistle blower,” but recalled a friend’s encouraging words that ultimately convinced her to tell her story.

“Now is the time, there has been no other time in history that women have been able to stand up and speak out and be able to be supported,” she remembered.

Schuman’s appearance on “The Dr. Oz Show” will air Friday.

This article originally appeared in Page Six.