On Tuesday (June 26), Terry Crews testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of the sexual assault legislation for the Sexual Assault Survivor’s Bill of Rights as put on broadcast via C-Span. Last year, the renowned actor took to Twitter to share his experience in Hollywood with sexual assault which pinned a focus on the abuse men not only in the famed community but abroad may face. Crews’ reveal was in light on the Me Too Movement, a time where several big-league men in Hollywood were faced by allegations of sexual misconduct.
My wife n I were at a Hollywood function last year n a high level Hollywood executive came over 2 me and groped my privates. (2/cont.)
— terrycrews (@terrycrews) October 10, 2017
“I am honored to use my platform and story to help create additional civil rights protections for survivors across the nation under the Sexual Assault Survivors Bills Rights,” Crews declared. He went on to recognize himself as a “survivor of a sexual assault” and the backfire plagued upon survivors after they made the decision to come forward about their own accounts. The breaking of the Me Too Movement motivated the actor to reveal his account. He also recalled the day of the incident, two years ago saying it lasted a couple of minutes and he was told by the culprit, who he describes as a “successful Hollywood agent” that “he held the power” while holding his genitals.
According to Crews, the Sexual Assault Survivor’s Bill of Rights is “a critical bill that must be enacted in all fifty states. This bill gives survivors the right to a fully government subsidized rape kit to alleviate the financial burden of seeking justice. It gives survivors the right to receive information, including access to police reports, rape kit results, and access to sexual assault counselors. And by requiring that rape kits and forensic DNA evidence be retained for the statue of limitations, this bill gives survivors the right to have time to distance themselves from the immediate trauma before making the difficult decision to report the assault to law enforcement.”
Crews also revealed amid his testimony that one of the producers for The Expendables said if he did not drop his case, he would not be apart of the movie and “there would be trouble.” He described it as an “abusers protect abusers” case being that the same producer is facing his own taste of sexual assault allegations.
The legislation was drafted by Amanda Nguyen, the founder of Rise-a nonprofit dedicated to the civil rights of sexual assault and rape survivors. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize earlier this week. Nguyen was also present at the Washington testimony. Watch Terry Crews’ opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, below.
