Veteran actor Mickey Rooney has urged the elderly victims of any form of abuse, to be vigilant and to share their experiences to anyone who would care to listen. Rooney tells his own story at a Senate hearing on elder abuse Wednesday.

Abuse, Rooney explained at the Congress hearing, cuts across all walks of life, emphasizing that it could happen to every Tom, Dick and Harry.

"If elder abuse happened to me, Mickey Rooney, it can happen to anyone," the 90-year-old actor was quoted by Reuters as telling the Senate Special Committee on Aging.

The veteran emphasized that abuse could come in many forms, adding that it could be emotional, physical and most often financial, judging by his personal experience.

Citing the court documents, the Reuters said that Rooney has alleged abuse of his stepson, Christopher Aber saying he has suffered intimidation and bullying as well as depriving him of access to his own mail. Rooney has also accused his stepson of neglect by deliberately keeping his own medications and food from him.

The actor who was left under his stepson’s care but who was granted a restraining order by the court last month, has also complained of financial exploitation for years.

"My money was taken and misused. When I asked for information, I was told that I couldn't have any of my own information," Rooney told the Senate committee, according to Reuters. "I was literally left powerless."

The actor, who had his breakthrough as a child star in the 1930s and the 1940s also expressed regret for remaining silent for years.

Rooney said, "I couldn't muster the courage to seek the help I knew I needed."

The actor then used the forum to appeal to everyone, particularly the elderly victims to contribute and end the cycle of abuse.

"Please, for yourself, end the cycle of abuse and do not allow yourself to be silenced any longer," he said.

Rooney also called on Congress to act on the worsening elderly abuse, suggesting that it enact legislation that would strengthen the law enforcement response even just to simple ‘allegations’ of elder abuse.