Minnie Driver Says Men Like Matt Damon Can't Understand What Abuse Is: 'There Is a Cut-Off'

Minnie Driver “desperately” felt the urge to speak out against former costar Matt Damon‘s recent comments asserting that the recent wave of sexual misconduct allegations in Hollywood don’t all carry the same weight.

After briefly speaking out about the 47-year-old actor’s controversial new interview from ABC’s Popcorn with Peter Travers on Twitter, Driver told The Guardian that Damon shouldn’t be explaining sexual misconduct against women as he can’t understand what it’s like.

“I felt I desperately needed to say something. I’ve realized that most men, good men, the men that I love, there is a cut-off. They simply cannot understand what abuse is like on a daily level,” the actress, 47, said.

She added, “I honestly think that until we get on the same page, you can’t tell a woman about their abuse. A man cannot do that. No one can. It is so individual and so personal, it’s galling when a powerful man steps up and starts dictating the terms, whether he intends it or not.”

Upon hearing about her Good Will Hunting costar’s comment, Driver spoke out via social media.

“God God, SERIOUSLY?” Driver tweeted on Friday, along with a link to the article. “There are so many men I love who do NOT frame the differentiation between sexual misconduct, assault and rape as an excuse or worse – our problem.”

Damon garnered controversy about comments he made in a preview clip of an upcoming edition of ABC’s Popcorn with Peter Travers. In the clip, Damon says, “I think it’s wonderful that women are feeling empowered to tell their stories and it’s totally necessary.”

He added, “I do believe there’s a spectrum of behavior … There’s a difference between patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right? Both of those behaviors need to be confronted and eradicated without question, but they shouldn’t be conflated.”

In comparing allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Al Franken,Kevin Spacey, and Louis C.K., Damon singled out C.K. for the comedian’s remorseful response to the controversy.

“That’s the sign of somebody who — well, we can work with that,” Damon, a father of four daughters, said of C.K.. “Like, when I’m raising my kids, this constant personal responsibility is as important as anything else they learn before they go off in the world.”

“I don’t know Louis C.K. I’ve never met him. I’m a fan of his, but I don’t imagine he’s going to do those things again,” Damon added. “You know what I mean? I imagine the price that he’s paid at this point is so beyond anything.”

Driver and Damon previously starred together in 1997’s Good Will Hunting and dated for a short time afterwards. Their relationship ended awkwardly in 1998, when Damon denied he had a girlfriend while appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Last year, Driver opened up about her own experience with sexual assault as a teen. “When I was [17], I was on vacation in Greece, and this guy, kinda elbow-grabbed me, and said ‘You’re going to dance with me,’ ” she said on Sirius XM’s StandUP! with Pete Dominick. “I said ‘no’ and I pulled my arm away from him, and he grabbed me by the back of my hair. I tried to kick him, and then he punched me.”

The full interview on Popcorn with Peter Travers will be available Dec. 27.