The Dawson's Creek star, 40, spoke out about his experiences as a younger actor in Hollywood

James Van Der Beek Reveals He Had His ‘Ass Grabbed by Older, Powerful Men’ in Wake of Weinstein Harassment Scandal

James Van Der Beek has revealed he too was a victim of sexual harassment.

The Dawson’s Creek star, 40, spoke out about his experiences as a younger actor in Hollywood after slamming those criticizing the women who have spoken out about Harvey Weinstein‘s alleged sexual misconduct.

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Taking to Twitter late Wednesday night, Van Der Beek said he had been the target of older men.

“I’ve had my ass grabbed by older, powerful men, I’ve had them corner me in inappropriate sexual conversations when I was much younger,’ he tweeted.

“I understand the unwarranted shame, powerlessness & inability to blow the whistle. There’s a power dynamic that feels impossible to overcome.”

Image zoom Jim Spellman/WireImage

His comments came after he slammed those who judged the women who have alleged that they were sexually assaulted or harassed by Weinstein.

Image zoom James Van Der Beek Twitter

Image zoom James Van Der Beek Twitter

“For anyone judging the women who stayed silent, read this for perspective. Also for anyone brushing off harassment as ‘boys being boys’…What Weinstein is being accused of is criminal.”

“What he’s admitted to is unacceptable — in any industry. I applaud everybody speaking out,” Van Der Beek added.

The Vice star is not the first male Hollywood actor to reveal he was the target of sexual harassment. On Tuesday Terry Crews said a “high level Hollywood executive” groped him.

“This whole thing with Harvey Weinstein is giving me PTSD. Why? Because this kind of thing happened to ME,” the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star tweeted Tuesday, revealing his ordeal in a series of further posts.

Image zoom Todd Williamson/Getty

Crews, 49, said the incident happened at a “Hollywood function” in 2016 and claimed the executive came over to him “and groped my privates.”

“Jumping back I said What are you doing?! My wife saw everything n we looked at him like he was crazy. He just grinned like a jerk,” alleged Crews, adding in another tweet, “I was going to kick his a– right then— but I thought twice about how the whole thing would appear.”

The star said, “‘240 lbs. Black Man stomps out Hollywood Honcho’ would be the headline the next day,” adding, “Only I probably wouldn’t have been able to read it because I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL. So we left.”

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In a bombshell New York Times report last week, eight women accused him of acting inappropriately. The paper also reported that Weinstein reached private settlements with eight women, including actress Rose McGowan.

On Tuesday, Paltrow and Jolie told of their own accounts of alleged mistreatment. Paltrow told the NYT that Weinstein sexually harassed her in a hotel room when she was 22. The encounter allegedly ended with Weinstein placing his hands on her and suggesting a massage.

Jolie also told the outlet that she had a “bad experience” with Weinstein in a hotel room during the release of Playing by Heart in the late ’90s.

Also on Tuesday, the The New Yorker revealed — among 13 different women’s accounts of alleged sexual harassment, assault or rape — that the mogul allegedly forcibly performed oral sex on Italian actress Asia Argento two decades ago. Actresses Mira Sorvino and Rosanna Arquette also claimed that after rejecting Weinstein’s unwanted advances, they were removed from or kept from being hired for projects.