Harvey Weinstein (Supply: lev radin / Shutterstock.com)

Ex- Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was discovered responsible of rape after his Manhattan trial on Monday. Weinstein who was accused by various ladies (over 80 ladies) of sexual abuse was convicted on the account of legal sexual assault within the first diploma and rape within the third diploma. The now-disgraced producer faces a doable sentence of 5 to twenty-nine years.

For these of you who’re unaware, there have been at all times whispers and rumours of Weinstein’s notorious casting sofa behaviour with younger ladies within the leisure business. Whereas many within the business had been vaguely conscious of his ‘popularity’ he was manner too highly effective to be tackled in accordance with many in Hollywood. It was not till 2017 that the complete image of his predatory behaviour was unmasked to the world when The New York Instances journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey reported a narrative that accounted for 3 many years of sexual assault by Harvey Weinstein. To add to this, it additionally revealed the eight settlements he had paid to ladies who he had abused who additionally occurred to be working for him. Just a few days later, NBC information correspondent Ronan Farrow additionally printed a report in The New Yorker so as to add to the variety of tales of rape and sexual abuse by Weinstein. In his e book Catch and Kill, Ronan additionally named celebrities who had been conscious of Weinstein’s predatory behaviour. It included names corresponding to Ben Affleck, Colin Firth, Quentin Tarantino, Lena Dunham, and lots of others. This excessive profile expose is what set the ball in movement for the #TimesUp and #MeToo actions everywhere in the web.

Coming again to the case, Weinstein modified two male attorneys earlier than he settled for a feminine legal defence lawyer Donna Rotunno. In keeping with The New York Instances, her defence was led by the argument that the #MeToo motion had run uncontrolled. She additional tried to argue that each one of Harvey’s sexual encounters had been consensual whereas his accusers had been making an attempt to realize movie star standing. In her closing argument, she mentioned that ladies weren’t taking accountability for their very own security and males had been the true victims of the #MeToo motion which was robbing them of their basic rights.

In one other report by The Each day, Rotunno admitted that she had by no means been a sufferer of sexual assault since she had by no means ‘put herself in that place.’

However the excellent news, for now, is that the jury rejected her arguments and Weinstein was discovered responsible. He was instantly requested to be despatched to jail the place he was to await his sentencing. Reviews recommend that the momentum and the warmth of the #MeToo and #TimesUp actions additionally added to the jury coming to this conclusion.

I can’t have been the one one who was left feeling a bit hopeful after studying about Weinstein’s conviction. Not as a result of I’m straight associated to this particular case, however most ladies have sadly been or recognized somebody who’s a sufferer of sexual abuse. Furthermore, being the primary and largest #MeToo case, Harvey Weinstein’s expose gave many ladies around the globe the braveness to talk up in opposition to their predators. I hope this verdict additionally has an analogous ripple impact across the globe.

We should keep in mind, Harvey Weinstein is only one predator amongst many who should still be hiding. The resounding success of his conviction was the results of talking up in unison. Let’s proceed to talk up in opposition to what’s not proper.