Anthony Edwards, best known for his work on ER and in Top Gun, has been working to discuss male victims of sexual assault for a long time, working with groups like Joyful Heart to raise awareness that sexual assault is a problem for everyone. Edwards recently took to Medium, however, to lay bare the personal impetus behind this: That he’s a survivor of sexual assault as well.
Edwards’ Medium post names Gary Goddard, a well-known theatrical director, producer, and theme park designer, as sexually abusing Edwards and sexually assaulting one of Edwards’ friends when Edwards was a young teenager. Goddard has been accused of sexual assault before, in a civil suit that involved other notable Hollywood figures that was ultimately dropped. Edwards discloses he’s been in therapy for years over the assault and even that he’d confronted Goddard over it:
22 years ago, I happened to run into Gary Goddard at an airport. I was able to express my outrage at what he had done. He swore to his remorse and said that he had gotten help. I felt a temporary sense of relief. I say temporary because when Goddard appeared in the press four years ago for alleged sexual abuse, my rage resurfaced. At 51 years old, I was directed by a group of loving friends to a therapist who specializes in this kind of abuse. By processing my anger in a safe place with a professional, I was finally able to have the conversation that I wish I could have had with my mom when I was 14.
Edwards’ disclosure comes on the heels of the unfolding accusations against Kevin Spacey, which began with actor Anthony Rapp revealing he was attacked by Spacey at the age of 14. Edwards closes his post by urging sexual assault survivors to ask for help and to take advantage of the resources at 1in6.org and the Joyful Heart Foundation, and sexual assault survivors from all walks of life can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673, 24 hours a day.
(via Medium)
