Armie Hammer is sharing his side of the story. Should we be listening?

Following months of silence, Armie Hammer is sharing his side of the story after numerous women accused him of rape and abuse. But not everyone is eager to hear what he has to say.

In his first interview since the controversy, published on Saturday by Air Mail, Hammer denied any criminal wrongdoing, stating each of his sexual encounters was consensual. This time, however, he acknowledged he was "emotionally abusive" and said "the power dynamics were off" in his relationships with women in their mid-20s. He also revealed he was sexually abused by a youth pastor for nearly a year when he was 13, which he said his parents were aware of but dismissed.

"What that did for me was it introduced sexuality into my life in a way that it was completely out of my control," Hammer said. Being sexually abused and feeling powerless as a kid, he said, made his sexual interests be "about being in control, because being out of control was very dangerous for me and very uncomfortable." He denied ever having been sexually violent.

The public reaction to Hammer's latest statement has been mixed. Some extended sympathy toward a person sharing their own story of sexual abuse. Others responded with skepticism and expressed discomfort over statements that seemed, at least in part, to be an attempt to rehabilitate Hammer's image.

When fallen stars accused of egregious crimes attempt to reemerge into the spotlight – think Kevin Spacey or Shia LaBeouf, for example – it can be difficult to listen or offer sympathy, especially for those who may have experienced trauma themselves.

"While (Armie Hammer) did acknowledge the role of power and control in his behaviors, he also then ... justified it by saying, 'This happened because I was abused' in an effort to talk about the harms to him instead of focusing on the harms he has caused," says clinical psychologist Elizabeth Jeglic, professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who studies sexual violence prevention.

The reality is that generational abuse is a complex topic to navigate, according to Nicole Bedera, a sociologist who studies sexual victimization and perpetration.

"We want to support survivors no matter what. But it's not being unsupportive of survivors to recognize that even if you've been abused, that doesn't give you the license to hurt others."

The problem with saying 'hurt people hurt people'

Hammer is not alone in his experience: According to RAINN, one in 53 boys under 18 experience sexual abuse at the hands of an adult.

But "the majority of victims do not go on to engage in abusive behaviors toward their partners," Jeglic emphasizes.

While sexual victimization is one factor that has been studied at as a possible indicator of who becomes a perpetrator of abuse, other research-backed predictors include neurological deficits, drug or alcohol use, family history of violence or lack of supervision.

"This idea that 'hurt people hurt people' obscures who is the real victim. We begin to see everyone in a specific violent incident as equally deserving of empathy and support, which quickly turns into an unwillingness to hold anyone accountable," Bedera warns.

As a result, "we become so focused on the perpetrator's intent. We get tempted to look and see if there was a good reason, but there is no good reason for harassing, assaulting or emotionally abusing someone."

The difference between compassion and forgiveness

Hammer's latest comments appear to be more vulnerable and candid. He shared a story of childhood sexual abuse that, according to him, went largely ignored by the adults around him. He detailed his suicide attempt the wake of the allegations.

“I’m here to own my mistakes, take accountability for the fact that I was an (expletive), that I was selfish, that I used people to make me feel better, and when I was done, moved on," Hammer said. “I’m now a healthier, happier, more balanced person."

It's natural to want to extend empathy – without condoning the behavior he has been accused of. And compassion and forgiveness are not mutually exclusive.

"We can validate and understand that this was something that he experienced, but we also have to recognize he hurt somebody else," Jeglic says. "That doesn't negate or excuse the behaviors they engaged in."

More on Armie Hammer

• Read Armie Hammer's first interview since rape, abuse allegations

• Shia LaBeouf, Armie Hammer, Johnny Depp: Who deserves a chance at redemption?

• Armie Hammer accused of love-bombing. What is it?

• BDSM is not the same as sexual violence. How to know the difference

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Armie Hammer breaks silence in Air Mail interview. Should we listen?