Terry Crews speaks before Senate against sexual abuse

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Terry Crews has given his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, over in the USA, on the topic of sexual abuse in Hollywood. Crews, along with many others in the past year, has blown the whistle against abusive behaviour.

Crews recalled an incident from 2016, where he was abused by Hollywood producer Adam Venit: “[Venit] was effectively telling me, while he held my genitals in his hand, that he held the power”, Crews remembered. “That he was in control.”

“What happened to me has happened to many many other men in Hollywood,” Crews said, “and since I came forward with my story I have had thousands and thousands of men come to me and say ‘Me too, this is my story. But I did not have the confidence, or I did not feel safe enough, to come out. Because what happens is you get blacklisted, your career is in danger — after that, no one wants to work with you.”

Crews revealed that, since he came forward with his claim against Venit during the #MeToo trend, Hollywood producers have tried to silence him. Avi Lerner, a producer on The Expendables 4, purportedly told Crews there would be “troubles” if he pressed ahead with his accusations.

Senator Amy Klobuchar asked Crews if he has a role in The Expendables 4, and Crews answered the question thusly:

“No. Simply because this same producer is under his own … investigation. Abusers protect abusers — and this is one thing I had to decide, whether I was going to draw the line on. Am I going to be a part of this or am I gonna take a stand, and there are projects I had to turn down.”

We can’t salute Mr Crews enough, for coming forward and making a formal stand against abuse, rather than taking big money paycheques and staying out of trouble. Here’s hoping that testimonies like this, and court cases against the abusers, can clear Hollywood of abusive behaviour and make it a safe place for people to work.

Here’s the full video of Crews’ testimony: