Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein allegedly sexually harassed or assaulted many women over several decades and he settled with at least 8 women. How did he get away with it for so long?
Too few people spoke up – men and women enabled him and they did so for their own personal gain without thinking or caring about future victims of a predator.
In 1997, actress Rose McGowan received a payment of $100,000 as a settlement because Harvey Weinstein allegedly groped her in a hotel room during the Sundance Film Festival. Why didn’t McGowan go to the police? Perhaps she was too afraid to go to the police, and yet she wasn’t too afraid to speak up sufficiently so that she would be paid $100,000 to remain quiet.
Did the other women who received hush money think about stopping Weinstein from hurting other innocent women?
Of course, Weinstein was an extremely powerful man in Hollywood. His own company knew of the sexual harassment cases and yet they did nothing to stop him. Why?
Other men and women in Hollywood knew of Weinstein’s predatory behavior and sexual harassment, and they, too, did nothing – again thinking of personal gain and thereby failing to protect women.
In 2013, Seth McFarlane made a joke at the Oscars, after he listed the nominees for supporting actress. “Congratulations. You five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein”; the room laughed – everyone knew and yet out of a desire for personal gain, they did nothing to stop him.
There were also women who worked for Weinstein who would assist in the setting up of meetings in hotel rooms between Weinstein and other young women who were dreaming of stardom or success in Hollywood.
French actress Lea Seydoux stated that when she met Weinstein “He acted as if he were considering me for a role. But I knew that was bullshit. I knew it, because I could see it in his eyes. He had a lecherous look. He was using his power to get sex.” And yet she still went up to his hotel room that same night and when his assistant left, he jumped on her and tried to kiss her. Again, she never told anyone until now. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/11/harvey-weinstein-lea-seydoux
Why didn’t Seth McFarlane do more since he obviously knew about Weinstein’s behavior?
Then there’s Brad Pitt. Social media is labeling him as a hero for calling Weinstein in 1996 and warning him to never touch his then girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow. She was 22 when Weinstein touched her and suggested they go to the bedroom for massages.
Wait a moment, though, Pitt knew about Weinstein and still he made 2 movies with Weinstein – 2009’s Inglourious Basterds and 2012’s Killing Them Softly. And so, too, did Paltrow – she starred in Shakespeare in Love in 1998 and won an Oscar for her role.
Meanwhile, actress Hilarie Burton now says Ben Affleck groped her more than a decade ago on set on camera on the MTV show Total Request Live. And yet she stayed on the MTV TV show to further her career; the same show which highlighted the incident of Affleck groping her breast and even featured other women referring to it as a funny or weird moment. MTV was interested in the ratings & money, and was not interested in doing the right thing!
Both the MTV show TRL and Hilarie Burton failed to publicly condemn the groping.
It is one thing to be a victim of sexual harassment and yet another, to do nothing about it knowing full well that the same thing will happen to other young, innocent women.
If we want to stop sexual harassment then we need to act together and stop enabling predators. The focus has to shift from personal gain, job security, glamour, power, fame, creating art or movies to speaking up to protect other women from sexual harassment, assault or rape.
Yes, it takes extraordinary courage to stand up, but nothing will change until someone is willing to hurl that first stone at Goliath.
Read the article: Harvey Weinstein Scandal – Die On Your Feet or Live On Your Knees
Anointed “The Woman Expert” by WGN Chicago, Patrick Wanis PhD is a renowned Celebrity Life Coach, Human Behavior & Relationship Expert who developed SRTT therapy (Subconscious Rapid Transformation Technique) and is teaching it to other practitioners. Wanis’ clientele ranges from celebrities and CEOs to housewives and teenagers. CNN, BBC, FOX News, MSNBC & major news outlets worldwide consult Wanis for his expert insights and analysis on sexuality, human behavior and women’s issues. Wanis is the first person ever to do hypnotherapy on national TV – on the Montel Williams show.