Harvey Weinstein has been charged with two more cases of sexual assault in Los Angeles as he attended court to testify for his New York charges. Weinstein appeared today at a New York City courthouse for his trial on several rape and sexual assault charged. Accusers Rose McGowan, Rosanna Arquette, Dominique Huett, and more were present outside court. Weinstein maintains a plea of not guilty and insists that any sexual interaction he had with these women was consensual.
In 2017, The New York Times and New Yorker reported on women coming forward about being raped and/or sexually assaulted by Hollywood producer Weinstein. Since then, nearly 100 have come forward accusing Weinstein of sexual abuse, helping to spark the #MeToo movement. Hundreds of entertainers and civilians took to Twitter to share their sexual assault stories using the hashtag #MeToo. The movement shifted the way that sexual misconduct is handled in Hollywood and lead some accused of misconduct to be blacklisted and held accountable for their actions.
According to EW, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced that Weinstein was charged with two separate acts of sexual abuse within two days of each other. On Feb. 18, 2013 Weinstein allegedly forced his way into a woman's hotel room and raped her. The following evening he sexually assaulted a woman in a Beverly Hills hotel suite. He faces charges of forcible rape for each, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint. If he is proved guilty in L.A., he could face up to 28 years in prison.
Weinstein has yet to comment on the allegations. Two of his lawyers, Donna Rotunno and Damon Cheronis, have added that they are aware of the L.A. charges and the L.A. situation is out of their hands. L.A.P.D. Chief Michel Moore stated men have been assaulting women knowing they could hide behind the safety of their positions of power for too long. According to a 2018 survey, 94 percent of women in Hollywood have experienced sexual misconduct. When releasing the statement, Lacey also spoke on the importance of Weinstein being held accountable for using his status to take advantage of these women and praised the women for coming forward. He said:
“We believe the evidence will show that the defendant used his power and influence to gain access to his victims and then commit violent crimes against them. I want to commend the victims who have come forward and bravely recounted what happened to them. It is my hope that all victims of sexual violence find strength and healing as they move forward.”
Weinstein will hopefully be held accountable for his actions. Right now, it's his word against 8o women, and those are just the women that came forward in New York, Los Angeles. It is despicable that his reign of terror was able to last throughout his 30-year career. The women who have come forward were courageous to do so during a time when men in Hollywood weren't being held accountable for their actions and women were forced to accept that it's just how the business works.
The one positive to come from the Weinstein accusations is that it has shifted the way sexual assault cases are handled. During the Bill Cosby case, the women were initially doubted by many or victim-blamed. This time around, with the rise of the #MeToo movement, many sided with the women immediately. Many other entertainment executives, producers and directors were exposed as assaulters and removed from their positions.
Source: EW