The actress called Paige Carnes "awe-inspiring."
"Jane Doe" has revealed her identity and Olivia Munn is singing her praises.
In a statement to The Los Angeles Times on Thursday, Paige Carnes shared that she was the girl at the center of the Predator scandal. The news comes after Munn successfully lobbied 20th Century Fox to cut a scene in the sci-fi thriller earlier this month that featured actor Steven Wilder Striegel, director Shane Blake's longtime friend who Munn discovered is a registered sex offender, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Striegel served six months in jail after pleading guilty to two felonies, risk of injury to a child and enticing a minor by computer, the Times reports. Carnes was just 14 years old when the incident that put Striegel behind bars occurred. Now 24, Carnes is speaking out 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," she said in her statement. "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."
Speaking directly to other survivors, Carnes declared, "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," her statement continued. "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."
Carnes also thanked Munn for defending her.
"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," she wrote. "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."
Carnes concluded, "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."
After seeing the statement, Munn took to Instagram to praise Carnes for her bravery.
"Dear Paige, Your bravery and strength by stepping out from behind the Jane Doe title and 'reclaiming your identity' is incredibly awe-inspiring," the 38-year-old actress wrote. "Without a doubt, by stepping forward today with such eloquence, you have inspired so many other survivors. THANK YOU for your courage and fearlessness."
Munn ended her note with a series of heart emojis and the hashtag, "#JaneDoeNoMore."
The premiere for The Predator was earlier this week, and ET caught up with both Munn and the film's director. Black was apologetic for his "very bad" decision in casting Striegel.
“If I caused pain, it’s on me. It’s my fault. I made a decision, which was a very bad -- look, it’s not about the fact that I was as shocked to discover what’s going on at reading these horrible things in the paper. That’s still on me,” he said. "I’m the captain to the ship, and I’m not allowed to make choices for people. I’m not allowed to just treat this like we’re kids in college and putting friends in movies because this is big leagues, and I felt like I had let people down and caused pain to the cast and that is not acceptable.”
As for Munn, she told ET that she's "really happy that there's a conversation that's come about."
"I knew that my friends and family would always stand by me, and that always means a lot, but truthfully the amazing outpouring of support and shared outrage from the fan's, social media, the news outlets, that has been honestly the most surprising thing," the actress shared. "Just to have everyone on the same page… that's honestly been the most amazing thing just to see that."
Munn continued, "People can understand how hard it is to speak out. Because it's not just in Hollywood that this happens… This happens all around the the world, and the dialog that's come about has been so important."
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