"All victims of assault and harassment deserve to be heard," the statement from Freeman read, according to the New York Times.

"And we need to listen to them. But it is not right to equate horrific incidents of sexual assault with misplaced compliments or humour.

"I admit that I am someone who feels a need to try to make women — and men — feel appreciated and at ease around me,” he added.

"As a part of that, I would often try to joke with and compliment women, in what I thought was a light-hearted and humorous way. Clearly I was not always coming across the way I intended."

"But I also want to be clear,” Freeman said, according to the Times. "I did not create unsafe work environments. I did not assault women. I did not offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex. Any suggestion that I did so is completely false."