Jamie Lee Curtis has slammed "terrible abusers" in the wake of Eliza Dushku’s claim that she was molested while filming ‘True Lies’.
The 37-year-old actress recently claimed she was assaulted by the 1994 movie’s stunt co-ordinator, Joel Kramer, when she was just 12 years old, and now Jamie Lee – who starred as Eliza’s on-screen mother – has revealed she was "shocked and saddened" by Eliza’s alleged ordeal.
Jamie Lee said: "She had shared that story with me privately a few years ago. I was shocked and saddened then and still am today. We have all started to awaken to the fact that the terrible abuses now commonplace in daily news reports have been going on for a very long time.
"Unconscionably, those reports frequently come along with claims by the perpetrators that, as adults, those perpetrated against had some part in it … Eliza’s story has now awakened us from our denial slumber to a new, horrific reality. The abuse of children."
The 59-year-old actress described Joel’s alleged actions as "terrible", and called for the truth to be discovered so that Hollywood could continue to push for change.
In a piece written for the Huffington Post, she wrote: "Many of us involved in ‘True Lies’ were parents. Jim, Arnold and myself. Parents of daughters. What allegedly happened to Eliza, away from the safety net of all of us and our purview is a terrible, terrible thing to learn about and have to reconcile.
"The truth will set us all free. Hopefully that freedom will bring a new ability to call out abuse and, when that abuse occurs, to have swift and consistent action, so that no one again will have to wait 25 years for their truth to be heard."
Jamie Lee’s comments come after the movie’s director, James Cameron insisted he would have shown "no mercy" if he’d known about the alleged incident at the time.
Asked about Eliza’s claims – which Kramer has branded "atrocious lies" – he said: "I haven’t given a lot of thought to this specific situation because I just heard about. Obviously, Eliza is very brave for speaking up. I think all the women are that are speaking up and calling for a reckoning now. I think this has been endemic throughout human systems, not just Hollywood. "Because Hollywood deals with women who are victims 10-15-20 years ago who are famous today, so they get to have a louder voice when they come forward. Bravo for them for doing it and I’m glad Eliza did that. It’s just heartbreaking that it happened to her…
"Directors are historically pretty oblivious to the interpersonal things that are happening on their set because they’re focused and are the worst offenders at being focused on ‘What I’m doing creatively.’
"Had I known about it, there would have been no mercy. Now especially, I have daughters. There’s really no mercy now."
In an open letter on her social media account, Eliza claimed she was "groomed" by the stunt expert for months before going to his hotel room, where he "rubbed" his near-naked body against her.
She also alleged she was left with broken ribs after a stunt went wrong, shortly after a "strong adult" friend confronted Kramer about her allegations.
But the stunt co-ordinator insists her claims are not true.
Jamie Lee Curtis speaks out on Eliza Dushku’s molestation claims
