James Cameron Speaks On Eliza Dushku’s Sexual Molestation Allegations

It’s becoming all too common to hear sexual molestation allegations from people in the entertainment industry — whether male or female. As part of the #MeToo movement, every day more brave men and women are coming forward with horror stories related to sexual assault and molestation. The careers of people like Harvey Weinstein and Louis C.K. have been rightfully halted as a result.

On Saturday, it was the turn of Bring It On star Eliza Dushku, who shared an intimate and lengthy story on Facebook about being a victim of sexual molestation in 1994, when she was only 12 years old. At the time, she was filming James Cameron’s True Lies, and Joel Kramer, a well-known stunt coordinator, was the assailant.

According to People, Cameron didn’t know what had happened at the time but, after learning about it, he took the stage at a Television Critics Association event in Pasadena, CA to talk about it. “Directors are historically pretty oblivious to the inter-personal things that are happening on the set because they’re focused on what they’re doing creatively,” he said.

“But had I known about there would have been no mercy. I have daughters. There really would be no mercy now.”

He then continued to praise Eliza on her braveness for coming forward about it.

“It’s just heartbreaking that it happened to her.”

Cameron also talked about the importance of the #MeToo movement, and let everyone who was a part of it know that he absolutely supports them; and mentioned that it is necessary to have an appropriate channel in every industry, specifically in the entertainment industry, to help victims come forward safely.

While a light has been shone over sexual assault in the entertainment industry lately, he continued saying that he believes this is not a “Hollywood problem,” but that “Hollywood is in a unique position of shining a spotlight on it, as Hollywood has done on a lot of social issues. It’s one of the things we do and do well.”

He appeared hopeful that this movement might help men be more sensitive about the unique position women are in on a day-to-day basis. “Maybe out of this can come some education that can pull some men who would otherwise be on the path back from the brink as well.”

According to Eliza’s heartbreaking statement, she told a handful of people about the abuse — her parents, two adult friends, and one of her older brothers, but “no one seemed ready to confront this taboo subject then.” It took her 25 years to finally come forward, and she was given strength by all the other courageous men and women that have come forward on their own terrifying experiences as of late.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialElizaDushku/posts/1769957739689557

As it is to be expected, Joel Kramer denied the claims in a statement to Variety, calling them “absolutely not true.”