Terry Crews Here's Why I Didn't Get Violent ... During My Sexual Assault

6/26/2018 10:32 AM PDT

Terry Crews[1] says he had to fight every instinct to not get physical after a WME talent agent allegedly groped his genitals in 2016 -- and he got very emotional discussing it on Capitol Hill.

The "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star testified about sexual assault Tuesday in front of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, giving insight into his own experience[2].

My wife n I were at a Hollywood function last year n a high level Hollywood executive came over 2 me and groped my privates. (2/cont.)

— terrycrews (@terrycrews)

When CA Senator Dianne Feinstein asked Crews why he didn't physically respond to Adam Venit after the agent allegedly touched his privates at a party, he was blunt -- saying it's about consequences black men in America face every day if they resort to violence.

TMZ broke the story ... the L.A. City Attorney's Office declined to prosecute Venit[4] because Crews' allegation had fallen outside of the statute of limitations.

References^ Terry Crews (www.tmz.com)^ his own experience (www.tmz.com)^ October 10, 2017 (twitter.com)^ declined to prosecute Venit (www.tmz.com)

Read more from our friends at TMZ