- Weinstein was fired and expelled from numerous organizations.
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He took a leave of absence from the Weinstein Company after numerous reports of sexual harassment emerged in October 2017. Weinstein was officially fired from the company just days later. Not long after, he was also expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, according to Britannica.
- Weinstein has been charged in New York and Los Angeles.
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While this sentencing is a step in the right direction, the battle around sexual assault crimes is far from over. Even after this conviction in New York, Weinstein still faces felony charges for forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force, and sexually battery by restraint in Los Angeles. Although it is unclear how the New York sentencing will impact the LA case, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has announced they are beginning the extradition process of Weinstein but has not yet set an arraignment date for these charges.
- The sentencing proved to be a turning point in the #MeToo movement.
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Weinstein’s sentencing, in what some called the “#MeToo Trial”, sparked worldwide recognition of sexual assault. Harvey Weinstein became the first high-profile man to be accused of sexual assault in a court of law under the #MeToo movement, according to Vox. Even before Weinstein, other celebrities came under fire such as Bill Crosby and Larry Nassar. Both were charged with their crimes well before the movement went viral yet were not as visible in the media to the same extent as Weinstein. By the end of 2018, there were a total of 262 allegations against famous men. Before the #MeToo movement, the world praised celebrities with Oscars and money, but now it appears that society has begun to recognize the importance of coming out and speaking up against sexual assault and harassment. Institutions began to take action instead of pushing the allegations under the rug. For example, Kevin Spacey was kicked off of the show “House of Cards,” the release of Louis C.K. ‘s movie was canceled, and he lost his TV show as well.
- Weinstein expressed concern for men accused of sexual assault.
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According to NBC News, he expressed a concern towards men and due process if the movement expanded any further. Weinstein stated, “thousands of men are losing due process.” In October 2018, backlash against the #MeToo movement arrived with the emergence of the #HimToo movement. This counter-movement was put in place to recognize false rape allegations. Although both movements may have controversial views, sexual assault has finally found its voice in the media.
- The timeline of events.
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Since the catalysts of the Harvey Weinstein case in 2015 and accessible social media coverage in support of the situation— like the culmination of the #MeToo Movement where women were encouraged to speak up against sexual abuse— more than 80 different women have come forward to share personal stories of Weinstein using his power to take advantage of young females over the past decade.
In March of 2015, an Italian model named Ambra Battliana alerted NYPD of a sexual assault incident with Weinstein, but after a two-week investigation, the Manhattan District Attorney claimed there was not sufficient evidence of force and made the charge only a misdemeanor.
Two years later in August of 2017, Weinstein hired a private intelligence firm to investigate “red-flags”, after hearing rumors that journalists were looking into his sexual assault allegations. Two months after this, The New York Times published an investigation detailing accounts of several women assaulted by Weinstein since the 1990s. Two days later, The New Yorker published another article with stories from even more women.
The following March (2018), Andrew M. Cuomo Jr. (NY Governor) ordered state prosecutors to investigate why the Manhattan District Attorney did not charge Weinstein in 2015. It was not until May of 2018 that Harvey Weinstein was indicted and arrested on charges of rape and criminal sexual act. Over the next year or so, the trial went through major changes including added and dropped charges, changes to legal teams, and the LA indictment. And today, March 11, 2020, Harvey Weinstein was convicted of rape and criminal sexual act and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
This is intended to be a brief breakdown of the Harvey Weinstein accusations, court case, and sentencing. We are proud of the impact this ruling will likely have on society’s views regarding sexual assault. However, the battle continues.
Thank you so much for reading!
HCXO,
Maddy and Kelley