Stephen Collins of '7th Heaven' Confesses to Sexual Abuse of 3 Underage Girls in Statement

Stephen Collins released a statement confessing to molesting three underage girls.

In a statement to PEOPLE, the 7th Heaven actor said that the events that he described in a therapist session obtained by TMZ back in October of him confessing to the acts occurred "20, 32 and 40 years ago." He added that he has not contacted the women in order "not to open old wounds."

From PEOPLE:

"Forty years ago, I did something terribly wrong that I deeply regret. I have been working to atone for it ever since. I've decided to address these issues publicly because two months ago, various news organizations published a recording made by my then-wife, Faye Grant, during a confidential marriage therapy session in January, 2012. This session was recorded without the therapist's or my knowledge or consent."

"On the recording, I described events that took place 20, 32, and 40 years ago," Collins continues. "The publication of the recording has resulted in assumptions and innuendos about what I did that go far beyond what actually occurred. As difficult as this is, I want people to know the truth."

"I did have an opportunity to do so with one of the women, 15 years later. I apologized and she was extraordinarily gracious," said Collins, who remains in a protracted divorce battle with Grant. "But after I learned in the course of my treatment that my being direct about such matters could actually make things worse for them by opening old wounds, I have not approached the other two women, one of whom is now in her 50s and the other in her 30s."

The complete statement appears in the print edition of the PEOPLE.