Actress and #MeToo advocate Alyssa Milano came out in support of former Vice President Joe Biden after he was accused by two women of inappropriately touching them.
“I am proud to call Joe Biden a friend. He has been a leader and a champion on fighting violence against women for many years, and I have been fortunate to accompany him to events with survivors where he has listened to their stories, empathized with them, and comforted them,” Milano, 46, wrote on Twitter Monday evening.
“That’s who Joe Biden is – a warm, generous individual who believes its on all of us to pay attention to women’s stories and experiences,” she continued about the likely 2020 Democratic presidential candidate.
Milano, who starred in “Who’s the Boss?” and “Charmed,” also said she respects the decision by Lucy Flores, one of the accusers, to air her allegations against Biden and said: “we all must pay attention to it.”
“But, just as we must believe women that decide to come forward, we cannot assume all women’s experiences are the same,” Milano said.
Flores, a former Nevada state assemblywoman, said Biden came up behind her as she was preparing to go on stage during a political rally in 2014 and put his hands on her shoulders, smelled her hair and kissed the back of her head.
On Monday, another woman, Amy Lappos, said Biden put his hands behind her neck and pulled her toward him and rubbed noses with her during a political fundraiser in 2009.
Milano also noted Biden’s involvement with “It’s On Us,” the campaign against sexual assault on college campuses created by the Obama administration.
“Biden started Its On Us because he believes to meaningfully change our culture, everyone – including those often left out of the conversation like college athletes and fraternity brothers – needed to be part of the movement,” she wrote on Twitter.
Milano said she doesn’t believe Biden meant to “make anyone uncomfortable” and said his “kind, empathetic leadership is what our country needs. Especially now.”
In a statement released on Sunday to respond to Flores’ allegations, Biden said he did not intend to act “inappropriately.”
“In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort,” the statement said. “And not once – never – did I believe I acted inappropriately. It is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention.”