Child Sex Abuse Widespread in Hollywood

Former child stars of Hollywood have made shocking revelations about the prevalence of child-molestation which is widespread in the entertainment industry. The revelations were made after three showbiz figures were accused recently of preying on aspiring young hopefuls. Recently, child talent manager Martin Weiss, 47, who provided kids for Disney shows, has been accused of eight sex charges while Sesame Street composer Fernando Rivas, 59, appeared in court over child porn.

Casting agent Jason James Murphy, 35, was also exposed as having been convicted of kidnapping and molesting an eight-year-old boy.

Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson in 1970s TV hit Little House on The Prairie and Mary McDonough, who starred as Erin in The Waltons have now spoken out about their own abuse as child stars.

The two now work to protect child actors from predators who groom them with parties and sleepovers - and encourage them to think abuse is normal behaviour.

Arngrim has written of her ordeal in her book Confessions of a Prairie Bitch.

"For a sexual predator showbiz is the biggest free candy store going... You have kids and their parents throwing themselves at you," the Sun quoted her as saying.

McDonough too detailed the danger to child stars in her own book Lessons From The Mountain.

"There are a lot of predators out there," she said.

"There was a crew member who made me kiss him every day when I was 11 and a director who stuck his tongue down my throat the minute I turned 18. It was very creepy," she added.

Former child actor Corey Feldman, 40, revealed earlier this year he was also abused, saying predators were 'everywhere like vultures'.

He is now preparing to speak to Los Angeles cops about bringing the culprits to justice decades later.

Source-ANI