The space $\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g, p}$ is an *almost-Kähler $V$-manifold*. This means that it has only quotient singularities and admits a bimeromorphic, proper  modification which is a Kähler manifold.

Then the assertion follows by applying the following result, that is Theorem 2.43, p. 47 of Peters-Steenbrink's book *Mixed Hodge Structures.*

> **Theorem.** Let $X$ be an almost-Kähler $V$-manifold. Then $H^k(X, \, \mathbf{Q})$ admits a pure Hodge structure of weight $k$.