Abuse Survivor Thanks Olivia Munn for Exposing THE PREDATOR Sex Offender
Josh Millican
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It’s been a week since the LA Times broke the news that Fox had cut a scene from Shane Black’s The Predator because an actor involved is a convicted sex offender. Steven Wilder Striegel pled guilty in 2010 to two felonies: risk of injury to a child and enticing a minor by computer; he subsequently served a 6-month jail sentence.
Related Article: Fox Cuts Scene from THE PREDATOR Because of Registered Sex Offender
Munn became aware of the situation last August and alerted executives at Fox; she reported feeling ostracized by the majority of The Predator’s cast and the flap cast a long shadow over the film’s world premiere at TIFF last weekend. Black has issued an apology, but the scandal’s impact on the movie’s success has yet to be gauged.
Related Article: Olivia Munn Not Impressed by Director’s Apology for Sex Offender in THE PREDATOR
Today, The LA Times has released a statement from the “Jane Doe” at the center of Striegel’s case. Now 24-years-old, Paige Carnes identified herself as the offender’s intended victim and thanked Munn for giving her case and the issue of child sexual abuse an international platform. You can read her statement in its entirety below.
My purpose in making this statement is to reclaim my identity.
Sexual abuse makes people uncomfortable. It should make you uncomfortable. This discomfort is nothing compared to the psychological and physical suffering of those who have dealt with it.
I was not able to speak for myself when I was 14. The consequences of this abuse are profound and permanent for some. When the abuse takes place with a child, it is even harder to overcome. You lose trust in everyone around you, and mainly yourself. Your abuse does not define you. With support from others and strength from within, you can overcome the label of victim and reclaim your identity.
Support can come in many forms. Sometimes all it takes is one person speaking up for you, acknowledging your worth as a human being. I am extremely fortunate to have a Father and Mother that love me unconditionally. My Father has supported me in my healing and growth in ways I cannot thank him enough for.
I am also eternally grateful for Olivia Munn’s action. She spoke up for me. She took a stance for me. In turn she stood for all who have suffered like I have. To be acknowledged by a stranger, on a public platform about this issue is incredibly empowering. The positive feedback from social media towards Olivia Munn is uplifting and feels incredibly supportive for me personally.
I have no shame for what was done to me. I am not the one who needs to carry that shame. My name is Paige Carnes, former Jane Doe.
I hope anyone who has suffered like I have regains their voice and their humanity.
Related Article: Busey, Brown, & Holbrook Support Olivia Munn on THE PREDATOR Sex Offender Flap
Synopsis:
From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of suburbia, the hunt comes home. The universe’s most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. When a boy accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and an evolutionary biologist can prevent the end of the human race.
Has the sex offender flap soured your enthusiasm for Shane Black’s The Predator? Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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