Barbara Walters criticised for sexual assault 'victim-blaming'

  • 19/10/2017
Barbara Walters and Corey Feldman.
Barbara Walters and Corey Feldman. Photo credit: ABC

In the wake of the sexual abuse scandal engulfing Hollywood, Barbara Walters is in hot water after the resurfacing of a clip in which she admonished Corey Feldman for speaking out about alleged paedophilia.

The video is taken from an episode of The View in 2013 when the former child star claimed he was abused as a child working in the entertainment industry, along with his deceased friend and co-star Corey Haim.

Walters fired back at Feldman: "You're damaging an entire industry!"

The Lost Boys star has long said paedophilia is the biggest problem facing Hollywood and was what ultimately led to the death of Haim.

Walters made the accusation when Feldman said the men who abused him and Haim are still out there and they're "some of the richest most powerful people in this business".

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying [to damage the industry], I'm just trying to say that it's a very important, serious topic," he replied to Walters.

As the allegations against Harvey Weinstein continue to mount, Feldman has stated that he was not the man who molested him or Haim.

"There's one person to blame in the death of Corey Haim, and that person happens to be a Hollywood mogul. That person needs to be exposed but unfortunately I can't be the one to do it," Feldman told ABC News in 2010.

"There was a circle of older men that surrounded themselves around this group of kids. They either had their own power or connections to great power in the entertainment industry."

Walters previously made headlines in 2014 for defending Woody Allen as he was accused of molesting a child.

Now there are growing calls for the 88-year-old broadcaster to apologise after Feldman himself tweeted a link to the clip from The View.

Newshub.