WASHINGTON (DC)
ABC News
June 26, 2018
By Kendall Karson and Tom Shine
Actor Terry Crews recounted his story of sexual assault — telling lawmakers Tuesday that even as a former NFL linebacker and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star, “I sit here as an example” of survivors.
Appearing before a Senate committee hearing to advocate for the “Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights,” Crews said, “This happened to me, too.”
“A lot of people believe a person like me can’t be victimized, but what happened to me has happened to many, many others.” After seeing survivors come forward only to be met with persecution and backlash, Crews said he revealed his own story to say “I believed them, I supported them, and that this happened to me, too.”
The “Survivors’ Bill of Rights” would create special protections for sexual assault survivors, including not charging survivors for an examination, preserving rape kits for 20 years or the maximum applicable statute of limitations, and providing survivors with written notification before a rape kit is disposed of.
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