Nick Carter Accused of Rape by Former Pop Singer Melissa Schuman; Backstreet Boy 'Shocked and Saddened' by Allegations

Nick Carter has been accused by former teen pop singer Melissa Schuman of rape.

Schuman, now 33, detailed the alleged incident on her personal blog earlier this month, alleging that Carter had raped her when she was 18 and he was 22.

Carter, now 37, responded to the allegations in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE Wednesday.

“I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman’s accusations. 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,” the Backstreet Boy 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.”

PEOPLE has reached out to Schuman for comment.

The singer, then a part of the all-girl teen group Dream, wrote Carter had invited her over to his house during a day off from a movie they were both starring in.

Schuman wrote she had brought her roommate with her and claimed the boyband singer brought her into the bathroom and they had started kissing.

It was then, she wrote, that Carter allegedly began to unbutton her pants and ignored her objections before allegedly performing oral sex on her. Schuman claimed he then demanded she perform oral sex on him.

Despite allegedly telling Carter that she was a virgin and was waiting until marriage to have sex, Carter allegedly led her to his bedroom where she claims that he raped her.

“He threw me on the bed and climbed on top of me. Again, I told him that I was a virgin and I didn’t want to have sex. I told him that I was saving myself for my future husband. I said it over and over again. He whispered in my ear as to entice me, ‘I could be your husband,’” Schuman alleges.

“He was relentless, refusing to take my no’s for an answer. He was heavy, too heavy to get out from under him. Then I felt it, he put something inside of me. I asked him what it was and he whispered in my ear once more, ‘it’s all me baby.’”

Schuman wrote that Carter attempted multiple times to contact her with no success.

Following the alleged incident, Schuman said she sang a duet with Carter, before she wrote that she “quickly lost interest in pursuing a career as a recording artist.”

“I was broken. I was tired. I was traumatized,” she wrote.

Schuman shared her gratitude to those who reached out to her with support on Twitter Monday.

“I just want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support,” she tweeted. “Thank you for bearing witness to my story. Thank you for providing me a safe place to be open and vulnerable.”

“I love you all,” she continued. “Thank you for aiding me in the healing that I so desperately needed. I am free now.”