Hollywood actor Terry Crews has walked into a Los Angeles police station and filed a report alleging sexual assault, according to TMZ.
The former NFL player recently revealed his own story of how a film executive ‘groped my privates’ in an emotional thread on Twitter.
Crews approached police shortly after he made the allegations online, and was told that because the alleged incident occurred last year, a criminal investigation could be triggered because the actor had come forward so soon after.
The 49-year-old explained the Weinstein scandal triggered PTSD because he was groped by a ‘high level Hollywood executive’ during an event last year.
His tweet read:
This whole thing with Harvey Weinstein is giving me PTSD. Why? Because this kind of thing happened to ME!
My wife and I were at a Hollywood function last year and a high level Hollywood executive came over to me and groped my privates.
Jumping back I said, ‘What are you doing?’! My wife saw everything and we looked at him like he was crazy. He just grinned like a jerk.
Crews admitted he decided against fighting back on the basis of how the media may have reported the situation, which he wouldn’t have been able to read because he ‘WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL’.
He said:
‘240 lbs. Black Man stomps out Hollywood Honcho’ would be the headline the next day.
Only I probably wouldn’t have been able to read it because I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL. So we left.
After sharing his story with people in the industry who worked with the perpetrator, Crews reportedly received a phone call the next day from the executive in question with an apology.
However, the accused executive failed to give Crews a reason as to why the assault happened.
In the final tweets in the thread, Crews reflected on why many women do not speak out about their experiences.
He wrote:
I decided not to take it further because I didn’t want to be ostracised — par for the course when the predator has power and influence.
I let it go. And I understand why many women who this happens to let it go.
Who’s going to believe you? Few. What are the repercussions? Many. Do you want to work again? Yes. Are you prepared to be ostracised?
Crews also emphasised that Harvey Weinstein is ‘not the only perpetrator’ and this behaviour occurs elsewhere, not just Hollywood.
In his final tweet, Crews explained one of the reasons why he decided to share his story.
He added:
Hopefully, me coming forward with my story will deter a predator and encourage someone who feels hopeless.
Terry’s powerful thread emphasises that both men and women can be victims of sexual assault and we all need to make a stand.
