In recent days, many celebrities have spoken out against Harvey Weinstein and the sexual harassment rampant in the entertainment industry, but few have done so quite as poignantly as Terry Crews. “This whole thing with Harvey Weinstein is giving me PTSD,” he tweeted on Wednesday afternoon. “Why? Because this kind of thing happened to ME.”
Through 16 tweets, the actor detailed having been sexually harassed at a party just last year. Crews recalled that he had attended the party with his wife, who was still with him when a “high level Hollywood executive” approached them and proceeded to grope him. The producer called him the next day to apologize, but never offered Crews any explanation.
As to having waited so long to say anything, Crews said that he’d considered taking immediate action at the party, but restrained himself because he knew how the incident would be portrayed in the media (“‘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”), and because he didn’t want to be ostracized from the entertainment community. He noted that this kind of suppression wasn’t out of the ordinary in instances where predators had power and influence over those they were exploiting.
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In his thread, he said he understood why so many women stay silent when it comes to sexual harassment and assault, citing the questions that crop up in the immediate aftermath. “Who’s going 2 believe you? ( few) What r the repercussions?(many) Do u want 2 work again? (Yes) R you prepared 2b ostracized?(No)”
He damned Weinstein in his tweets, but also made sure to emphasize that Weinstein is not the only predator out there, and that other industries foster this kind of harassment, too. Of his sharing his experience, he said, “Hopefully, me coming forward with my story will deter a predator and encourage someone who feels hopeless.”
