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Harvey Weinstein has always been a very big man in Hollywood. He's been a producer in many hit movies, such as Pulp Fiction and Good Will Hunting. Over the last few months, however, about 80 women have come forward with allegations that they were sexually abused by Weinstein. Weinstein denies all claims of nonconsensual sex.
Investigators from both the LAPD and NYPD have opened up criminal cases and started to gather evidence of Weinstein's misconduct. They plan to interview alleged victims and gather enough evidence to file charges against Weinstein. Although Weinstein has been accused of this behavior in the past, there was never enough evidence to file charges. However, with all the women coming forward now, New York attorney Jeanne Christensen claims, "I would be shocked if charges [were] not filed".
I believe that Harvey Weinstein is guilty of sexual harassment. The idea of a "Hollywood casting couch" does not strike me as ridiculous, and I would not be surprised if Weinstein was not the only guilty producer. Also, with the outrageous number of women coming out to speak about Weinstein, I believe that most, if not all of them are telling the truth.
Discussion Questions:
Do you believe that Weinstein is guilty of these sexual harassment allegations? Why or why not?
What do you think will happen to Weinstein regarding these possible charges?
9 comments:
I agree with you, Nico, that Weinstein is guilty of sexual harassment. I mean, if 80 people came forward and accused him, he must've done something wrong. I doubt 80 people are lying, because it doesn't really benefit them in any way, especially since after the investigations, they will have to relive the assault which is not the best thing in the world. However, due to the things that have been happening recently like Roy Moore and other assault scandals, I don't think he will be punished severely. This is similar to the Stanford rape case with Brock Turner in that although he was CLEARLY convicted of raping an unconscious woman, he only served a 3 month sentence (out of 6 months). I think it's horrible that people are getting away with sexual assault, but I really doubt that it will change any time soon.
Sadly, I agree with Andrea. I think that the most likely situation is that charges will be filed, but Weinstein will some how have the punishment reduced given his power and connections. Although I do think, however unlikely, If Weinstein is given as harsh a punishment as he deserves, this could cause a major shift in how our country and our justice system deals with sexual assault. This could be a chance for justice system to prove that they are on the same side as sexual assault victims and are willing to punish their attackers. It might also give more victims the confidence to speak out and look for justice through the legal system.
The comments above have come up with good points, and I do believe that Weinstein committed these crimes, however I am having trouble grasping onto the 80 claims of different people claiming that they were hurt in any way by one man. I am not belittling all of the claims, however I do feel like some of the claims are false. This has happened before and I feel like it is happening now especially since this case has gotten much publicity.
I agree with the comments above, and Gabby brings up a good point. He really must be a dangerous man to have hurt so many people, or this large group of people really hate him. Even though this story seems a little odd, it is obvious he is in the wrong and should be held accountable for his actions.
I do think that Weinstein is guilty of sexual harassment for the same reason as you: there's so many people coming to accuse him. I do agree with Gabby though that some claims may be false and just said to ruin his reputation or to make the case seem more solidified. Although some claims have the possibility of being false, I still think that Weinstein deserves justice. However, like many above said, I don't think that proper justice will be served. First of all, he is popular in Hollywood, and I think that although it shouldn't, this actually helps him get out of cases easier. I think the movie industry has enough power to try and get limited punishment for Weinstein so that they don't suffer major financial losses. Lastly, with President Trump recently coming out to support people who have committed acts of assault, I think that Weinstein will have an even easier time in court.
I strongly agree that Weinstein is guilty of sexual harassment because there are many people coming out and accusing him. Although the number of victims that accused him is extremely high, and that there might be some false accusations, I still believe that he should be held accountable for what he did. Sexual harassment should not be taken lightly, and I believe that those who have committed such actions should be punished. But in Weinstein's case, I don't think his punishment will be very severe, for he's well known in Hollywood, and like the others said he probably has connections that will lessen his punishment. In general I hope that situations like this won't be brushed aside.
I cannot see any reason why Harvey Weinstein would be innocent. It is EXTREMELY unlikely for 80 people to come together and decide "Hey, let's screw this one guy's life over for no discernible reason". As bad as it is, with so much news coming out about other abusers (like Kevin Spacey and Brett Ratner), it is very believable that these kinds of things happen in Hollywood and the entertainment industry as a whole. While 80 people seems like an absurdly large number, it is important to remember that Weinstein's "casting couch" practices have existed for almost 20 years, if not more (Gwyneth Paltrow first hinted at Weinstein's actions in 1998). I am glad this situation has received so much attention, as it has helped to expose more producers and actors in the industry.
Though 80 really does seem like a large number of people coming forward, the chances that Harvey Weinstein is guilty of these sexual harassment allegations is extremely high. Unfortunately, I don't think Weinstein will get the punishment he deserves for sexually harassing so many women. Like other people have suggested, Weinstein is in an incredible position of both wealth and power. He will find a way to lessen the severity of his punishment, whether it is through connections or simply the fact that he is wealthy.
I believe that this point is hashed out pretty well, but the fact that 80 people came out and accused him, is pretty damning. However, there is a chance, albeit a small chance, that he is innocent. While, I don't believe that this is true, there is a question of why everyone is coming out about it now. What happened to the 20 years before? Its a bit interesting seeing everyone come out in a group. I REPEAT, I DO NOT BELIEVE HE IS INNOCENT, but there are some questions that do not shut the door completely. (I am mainly writing this to disagree and get more points).
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