Viola Davis Gets Candid About Sexual Assault: 'The Silence Is About the Trauma'

Viola Davis talks sexual assault at 'Women in the World' salon.

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Viola Davis did not hold back her thoughts about the #MeToo movement and sexual assault at the Women in the World salon in Hollywood.

"Sexual assault is everywhere. Listen, let's just be honest. We've just been waiting for the #MeToo movement. Okay. I cannot tell you at any time in my life that I was not sexually assaulted in some way," said Davis who listed examples of "inappropriate" behavior: "men exposing themselves to me, men on the street wanting to give me money if I kiss them, going to birthday parties and having men touch my body, you know, we can go on and on."

Davis also noted that sexual assault isn't only prevalent in Hollywood, and the assaulter isn't always the villain that's pictured in these cases.

"It is so steeped into our culture that my fear is that people feel like it's only Hollywood that the predator is the Weinstein behind the big old desk. You know who's just controlling these women's careers and 'you're not gonna be that big actress if you don't do me this favor,'" she said. "When the predator is a father, a stranger, a rabbi, a teacher, you know, you can go on, a brother, a babysitter, and the silence is not just about saving one's career, the silence is about the trauma that when it happens you have an out-of-body experience where you leave your body and you compartmentalize that pain."

Davis, who's clearly a supporter of the #MeToo movement, wasn't afraid to critique it as well by stating that people of color need to be in the conversation as well, according to Variety. "We have been riding the caboose of the train and it’s time enough for that," she said.

Catch Viola Davis talking about sexual assault above.

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