Terry Crews has been one of the most prominent male advocates in Hollywood for #MeToo, and his own lawsuit settlement against his alleged groper is both a personal victory and a victory for the movement.
Crews’ settlement deal involves not only financial reimbursement, but also Adam Venit stepping down from his job at the William Morris Endeavor agency.
According to Vanity Fair, the settlement stipulates that in addition to the talent agency paying US$375,000 to Crews to cover his attorney fees, Venit must resign and W.M.E cannot rehire him in any capacity in the future.
The agency has also agreed to improve its internal policies to adequately address sexual assault and battery incidents perpetrated by their employees against clients. Those improvements include new annual training and third party legal validation.
This is the kind of victory we need to create actual change in the industry.
Terry Crews’ story and personal explanation of how race can render people powerless is an important reminder of why the #MeToo conversation needs to be bigger than gender.
And his lawsuit settlement is a reminder that wealthy abusers getting off with cash settlements is not enough. We need people who abuse their power to have that power taken away from them, so that they are not free to prey on more victims.
Terry Crews’ settlement does not just benefit him, it benefits everyone.