Terry Crews Captures The Exhaustion Of Being Victim Blamed In Viral Tweet
over 7 years in Huffpost
Terry Crews' words may sound all too familiar to many sexual assault survivors.
In October, the "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" actor came forward with his own #MeToo experience, in which he publicly accused Hollywood executive Adam Venit of groping him at a party in 2016. Since he came forward, Crews has been questioned for not fighting back during the alleged incident. This included taunts and mocking social media posts from rapper 50 Cent.
On Friday, Crews posted a powerful response to those who are still questioning his story.
"Why didn't you say something? I did," Crews wrote. "Why didn't you push him off? I did. Why didn't you cuss him out? I did. Why didn't you tell the police? I did. Why didn't you press charges? I did. Why did you just let it happen? I didn't. Why didn't you beat him up? (Sigh)"
Why didn't you say something?
I did.
Why didn't you push him off?
I did.
Why didn't you cuss him out?
I did.
Why didn't you tell the police?
I did.
Why didn't you press charges?
I did.
Why did you just let it happen?
I didn't.
Why didn't you beat him up?
(Sigh)
— terrycrews (@terrycrews) June 29, 2018
The post resonated with many, including a few famous names:
We need more men like @terrycrews who will stand up and speak out. You're helping change the culture, Terry. It matters. Thank you. https://t.co/wbOsMjEBuG
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 29, 2018
👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾... Some people will never get it but not for a lack of info or 1st hand accounts but due to willful ignorance & fear they see themselves somewhere in the account #MeToohttps://t.co/iVM1C8Lz6p
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) June 29, 2018
Earlier this week, Crews testified for a U.S. Senate judiciary committee to advocate for a bill known as the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights. During the hearing, in which the former NFL linebacker detailed his account of sexual assault, Senator Dianne Feinstein (Democrt-California) asked Crews why he didn't fight back, being that he's a "big, powerful man".
"Senator, as a black man in America, you only have a few shots at success," he told Feinstein. "You only have a few chances to make yourself a viable member of the community. I'm from Flint, Michigan. I have seen many, many young black men who were provoked into violence, and they were in prison, or they were killed. And they're not here."