Embattled actor Stephen Collins has publicly admitted for the first time that he abused girls sexually who were underage, but says he has not done so in 20 years.
The 67-year-old, who has remained out of the public eye ever since audio of him confessing to child molestation leaked this fall, confessed to People in detail.
Collins explains how there were three victims from 1973-1994, and how "I have not had an impulse to act out in any such way" in the two decades since.
As for why the Stephen Collins sexual abuse allegations haven't resulted in a direct apology to the women he once assaulted? The 7th Heaven star says:
"Forty years ago, I did something terribly wrong that I deeply regret. I have been working to atone for it ever since."
"I've decided to address these issues publicly," Collins says, "because two months ago, various news organizations published a recording made by my then-wife, Faye Grant, during a confidential marriage therapy session in January 2012."
"This session was recorded without the therapist's or my knowledge or consent."
Collins goes on to explain the shocking events in context the best that he can:
"On the recording, I describe events that took place 20, 32, and 40 years ago."
"The publication of the recording has resulted in assumptions and innuendos about what I did that go far beyond what actually occurred. As difficult as this is, I want people to know the truth."
"I did have an opportunity to do so with one of the women, 15 years later. I apologized and she was extraordinarily gracious."
"But after I learned in the course of my treatment that my being direct about such matters could actually make things worse for them by opening old wounds, I have not approached the other two women, one of whom is now in her 50s and the other in her 30s."
Mackenzie Rosman wasn't available for this Seventh Heaven reunion because she was too busy posing in lingerie and trying to shed her child star image.
As part of his mea culpa, Collins, 67, will sit down with Katie Couric for an in-depth interview that will stream on Yahoo News Friday and also airing on 20/20 on ABC.
Collins will not be prosecuted, in all likelihood, as a result of the allegations, though the possibility of lawsuits always hangs over a situation such as this.
What do you think of his comments? Discuss below ...
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