Column: Learning from the Harvey Weinstein Scandal
Harvey Weinstein accepts the 67th Annual Peabody Award for Project Runway, a show he his an executive producer of. Weinstein, like many powerful men in Hollywood, allegedly attempted to cover up his abuse. Image source: “Peabody Awards” by Anders Krusberg is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Over 80 women have now claimed sexual assault and sexual harassment against Harvey Weinstein, one of the most successful American film producers and studio executives. Accusations of rape and sexual force against such a highly acclaimed film mogul have brought Americans’ attention to the fact that this is not a one-time scandal but something that powerful film executives have hidden behind Hollywood’s gates for decades.
After actresses like Kate Beckinsale and Heather Kerr bravely spoke out about Weinstein’s sexual advances, their statements prompted others including Angelina Jolie and Rose McGowan to come forward too.
“I don’t want your money, that would make me feel disgusting,” McGowan said in response to Weinstein’s lawyers after they offered her one million dollars in hush money, essentially bribing her to keep her story under wraps. McGowan refused the money after accusing Weinstein of raping her in a hotel room. “Suffice to say a door opened, and my life changed.”
Weinstein is not the only Hollywood tycoon who caused huge harassment scandals, and he’s definitely not the only one who has tried to keep it private. Roman Polanski, a renowned Polish director, was arrested in Los Angeles in 1977 for multiple rapes and sexual advances toward Samantha Gailey, a 13-year old girl. He gave the teenage girl a concoction of alcohol and drugs to take advantage of her. Polanski later offered her $500,000 in return for her silence, and when she refused, he fled the country and hasn’t returned since.
Weinstein and Polanski are just two of numerous sexual abuse cases in Hollywood where wealthy movie moguls have abused use their power to take advantage of women and silence them afterwards. “An Open Secret“, a documentary exposing child sexual abuse in Hollywood, directly calls out this disgusting abuse of power.
Gabe Hoffman, the film’s producer, says “Harvey Weinstein, by the way, is not the only one who has used confidentiality settlements. That’s why more of Hollywood’s behavior hasn’t been exposed. This is the tip of the iceberg.”
Hoffman’s movie makes me shiver yet empowers me at the same time. Living in Los Angeles and with a parent in the entertainment business, I am impacted by Hollywood constantly. Being a young woman, these sexual abuse scandals make me uneasy. However, “An Open Secret” and every article bringing attention to these scandals creates hope for me that more people see that sexual abuse victims in Hollywood are not only in the movies.
The Harvey Weinstein scandal opened my eyes to the cowardice that sexual predators possess. After raping numerous women, Weinstein allegedly paid off his victims for decades, terrified that his reputation would become tarnished by his horrible actions. It disgusts me that these men think that because they have power, they can abuse it and ruin lives of the innocent. No woman, man or child should have to experience what Harvey Weinstein and other men like him forced numerous to experience.
No matter what career, age or environment, it is unacceptable to harass others, whether it is sexual or any other form. We need to expose the inappropriate behaviors of others and speak out for the victims that cannot speak for themselves and prevent victims of the future. If you know someone that has been sexually assaulted or if you are a victim of sexual assault, feel free to call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline for support and assistance. Together we can eradicate this problem once and for all.
Lola Lamberg was on the Oracle staff for four years from 2017 until her graduation date of 2021. Lamberg joined the Oracle in 2017 as a political columnist...
