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Corey Feldman On Hollywood Child Abuse: 'I'd Love To Name Names'

Corey Feldman has said that he’d ‘love to name names’ in the growing controversy surround alleged sex abuse of young stars in Hollywood.

In a frank interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Feldman, who began his career in the acting business aged just three, he also spoke about his friend Corey Haim, who he says was raped by a prominent figure in the movie business.

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“I’m not able to name names,” said. “People are frustrated, people are angry, they want to know how is this happening and they want answers and they turn to me and they say, 'Why don’t you be a man and stand up and name names and stop hiding and being a coward?’ I have to deal with that, which is not pleasant, especially given the fact that I would love to name names. I’d love to be the first to do it.

“But unfortunately California conveniently enough has a statute of limitations that prevents that from happening. Because if I were to go and mention anybody’s name I would be the one that would be in legal problems and I’m the one that would be sued.

“We should be talking to the district attorneys and the lawmakers in California, especially because this is where the entertainment industry is and this is a place where adults have more direct and inappropriate connection with children than probably anywhere else in the world.”

As for Haim, Feldman added that the abuse his friend suffered was directly linked to his troubles in later life. Haim died from pneumonia in 2010, following years of drug use.

“He had more direct abuse than I did. With me, there were some molestations and it did come from several hands, so to speak, but with Corey, his was direct rape, whereas mine was not actual rape. And his also occurred when he was 11.

“My son is 11 now and I can’t even begin to fathom the idea of something like that happening to him. It would destroy his whole being. As I look at my son, a sweet, innocent, 11-year-old boy and then try to put him in Corey Haim’s shoes, I go, 'Oh my God — well of course he was erratic and not well-behaved on sets and things like that’. What more could we expect of him really?”

Asked if those responsible for the abuse are still working in Hollywood, Feldman said: “One of them is. He’s still prominently in the business today. We’ve run into each other many times but no, I’ve never confronted him.

“I believe that Haim’s rapist was probably connected to something bigger and that is probably how he has remained protected for all these years.

“This person uses intimidation and threats as a way to keep people quiet. And all these men were all friends. Ask anybody in our group of kids at that time: They were passing us back and forth to each other.

“[Haim] was my best friend. I miss the chemistry, I miss having my best friend. He was the only person that could make me laugh unstoppably. He had a charisma about him and a charm and a sense of humor that was unparalleled. If I would set up a joke, he would finish it; if he would set up a joke, I would finish it. That’s something that you don’t find really twice in a lifetime.”

Feldman’s comments come after Elijah Wood said that there is 'something major… going on in Hollywood’ in terms of child abuse.

However, he later clarified his remarks, saying that he had no personal experience but had recently read articles and seen Amy Berg’s movie 'An Open Secret’, which details abuse of young stars which tool place in the 90s and 2000s.

Image credits: Getty/Rex Features