Author Jay Asher, best known for writing the novel Thirteen Reasons Why before it was adapted into the hit Netflix series, was expelled from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators last year after allegations of sexual harassment, the group's executive director told BuzzFeed News.

“After we investigated, we felt that terminating his membership was the proper course of action,” SCBWI executive director Lin Oliver told BuzzFeed News on Monday. “We have always been really sensitive to sexual harassment issues and have a zero tolerance policy, but clearly our policies haven’t prevented violations, so we’re taking this opportunity to take another look at our guidelines.”

Asher told BuzzFeed News on Monday he wasn't pushed out, but left on his own accord.

“It's very scary when you know people are just not going to believe you once you open your mouth,” Asher told BuzzFeed News. “I feel very conflicted about it just because of what's going on in the culture and who's supposed to be believed and who's not.”

The SCBWI is a nonprofit literary organization that supports authors and illustrators of children’s and young adult books by giving awards, hosting events, and publishing resources. Oliver said Asher was expelled from the SCBWI after the organization received anonymous complaints by email, though she would not specify how many or when specifically he was removed.

Asher said he feels “thrown under the bus” because he was told by the SCBWI at the time that “the emails showed nothing.”

The author said Oliver forwarded the anonymous email to his agent, read it for himself, and then spoke on the phone with Oliver about how he decided to leave the SCBWI.

“I understand the predicament they're in with everything going on and to want to protect themselves,” Asher said. “I love the organization, but they didn't decide to push me out. It was my decision, even though [Oliver] said the email contained nothing that their organization should have anything to do with.”

Oliver said Asher won't appear at any of the group's conferences or events in the future. The author confirmed this to BuzzFeed News, also saying it was a decision he made for himself.

“The truth is that I had been harassed by these people for close to 10 years,” Asher said of the anonymous people who reported him to the SCBWI. “And I just could not deal with it anymore.”