Church of Scientology tried to muzzle alleged rape victims of That 70s Show star Danny Masterson

That 70s Show star Danny Masterson’s rape trial has heard about the Church of Scientology’s reaction to his alleged victims.

Church of Scientology officials tried to keep women who were allegedly sexually assaulted by actor Danny Masterson — a church member — from reporting the abuse to law enforcement, according to testimony in his rape case.

Three women who have accused Masterson of sexual assault detailed efforts by officials from the fringe church to silence them during a preliminary hearing last week in a Los Angeles courtroom, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Danny Masterson, centre back row, with his co-stars in That 70s Show.

The New York Post reports that one of the alleged victims said a church official told her to put in writing that she would “take responsibility” for a 2001 alleged sexual assault, in which she claims the That ’70s Show actor raped her while she was unconscious.

Another accuser testified that a church lawyer showed up at her family’s house and threatened to expel her from the congregation if she told police how Masterson allegedly raped her at his Hollywood mansion in 2004.

Danny Masterson has been married to actress Bijou Phillips (L) since 2011.

“We’re going to work out how you cannot lose your daughter,” the lawyer told the accuser’s father, according to the report.

The entire church doctrine was seemingly called into question by one of the accusers, who said when she reported her alleged rape to church officials, they pointed her to a passage from Introduction to Scientology Ethics that discouraged her from speaking to law enforcement.

Danny Masterson, with his former That 70s Shoow co-star Ashton Kutcher, was fired from their Netflix show The Ranch amid the allegations.

One of the church officials told her not to use the “R-word” and said reporting Masterson would be a “high crime” in the eyes of the church, according to the report.

Masterson will face trial on three counts of rape that date back to the early 2000s. He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Kirstie Alley and John Travolta are members of Scientology.

David Miscavige is the head of the church.

In a statement to the Times, the church denied it has a policy of dissuading alleged victims from reporting abuse to law enforcement — and claimed the accusations against Masterson were a “money shakedown.”

“Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land, including the reporting of crimes. This is blatantly clear in the documents we understand were put before the Court — and many others,” church spokesperson Karin Pouw told the newspaper.

Laura Prepon, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Danny Masterson, Mila Kunis and Wilmer Valderrama starred in That 70s Show.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and is republished here with permission

Originally published as Church of Scientology tried to muzzle alleged rape victims of That 70s Show star Danny Masterson