In March of 2013, Harvey Weinstein was charged with rape and sexual abuse. Weinstein was a Hollywood producer of many movies such as Paddington, Scary Movie, and Lord of the Rings. Until 2013, Weinstein was a very popular producer that successfully made dozens of movies, but he was soon accused of raping and sexually abusing women from the set of the movies and other television shows. Two women by the names of Mimi Haleyi and Annabella Sciorra confirm they have been forced to do things not wanted. Haleyi was an assistant of Weinstein's and Sciorra was an actress on HBO's television show. Over the last 30 years, many more woman have accused him of rape. Some of the trials from victims are said to last for awhile due to the charges being pressed. Earlier this week, the trial was brought back to court because of the many women ready to testify against him. Although these acts are very horrifying, it inspired the #MeToo Movement that has been growing and fueling its publicity over the last two years. Weinstein plans to state that after the encounters with these women, they continued to keep in contact and sources are told that the women consented to it. It will be proven in court whether or not he is lying, but it will be his word against at least two other women. To make matters worse, in trial Weinstein was said to be texting and was threatened to to be sent to jail for his action. This can also be used against him in court, including the charges of rape. Use this article to help answer the questions below The New York Times.
1. What do you think Weinstein's punishments are going to be?
2. Why do you think some of the women are afraid to speak up?
3. Do you think anymore women are going to try and accuse Weinstein other than some witnesses?
4. Have you ever felt powerless in a situation?
Harvey Weinstein will certainly face life in prison as “More than 80 women have publicly accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct” (Reuters). It is doubtful that all of these women are falsely accusing Weinstein of rape. The main issue is if Weinstein can be proven guilty of rape. Perhaps data could be traced through DNA or cellphone evidence. Harvey Weinstein’s disrespectful act of texting in the courtroom can add on to how he has no care in defending his case, leaving it up to his attorneys. One of the 80 women accusing Weinstein of rape will likely be truthful, and hopefully, prosecutors can gather evidence to prove him guilty.
ReplyDeletePerhaps some of the victims of Harvey Weinstein were afraid to speak up as they feared Weinstein’s wrath. It is conceivable that Weinstein said to the women that if they said anything, he would do something horrible to them. Also, rape or abuse can be an embarrassing topic, as one might not want to feel weaker or helpless. Weinstein is accused of “Predatory sexual assault,” and no one would want to be the victim of a predator.
Harvey Weinstein has many rape alligations, and, likely, some of his victims haven’t spoken out yet. Now that Weinstein is facing trial, victims would feel it is a much safer space to speak. In the courtroom setting, victims will not fear Weinstein as much.
Occasionally I feel powerless in arguments with my parents when I have to go to bed. On a bigger scale, I could differently see that Weinstein’s victims would be helpless in those situations.
I agree with Rhys. Rape is not something that goes un-acknoledged, he is definetly going to suffer multiple years in prison. An act this extreme requires extreme consequences. To add to this extreme act 80 women have confessed and have proven the accuracy of the statement, further adding to Harvey Weinstein sentence.
DeleteEven though our country has come a long way women are still hesitant to speak their mind due to the gender bias that exists in our world. Some do still believe men are superior and deserve more respect. Rape is a very tramitizing act, that can scar women for the rest of their lives. Talking about something so emotional and severe can be hard to express, as most women are still scared of it happening again. They are discouraged to voice their opinion, in fear of getting raped again.
Now that Harvey Weinstein’s actions have been noticed and is taken care of, women feel safer voicing their experience. I think there are definitely more women that haven't spoken up yet, but now that the situation is under control they will feel more comfortable doing.
Yes, in certain situations, being the middle child in my family, whenever my brother and I have a disagreement, his voice usually takes president since he is the older sibling. Leaving me with the feeling of being powerless and hesitant to share my point.
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ReplyDeleteI think that it is likely that Weinstein will face a lot of time in prison, as rape is an inexcusable act. Although some of the accusations may be false, I would think that at least some of them would be true. Adding on to what Rhys said, I think that it comes down to how much evidence can be found on the case. Depending on how much incriminating evidence is found against Weinstein, he could either suffer lighter charges or spend a lifetime in prison.
ReplyDeleteSome of the women are probably afraid to speak up due to the fact that Weinstein is a pretty influential person and could retaliate if they try to press charges on him. Also, rape is a very traumatizing and horrible thing and people who are victims may not want to get involved in speaking about it at a trial or as a witness.
I think that Weinstein will face more charges, as victims will feel more confident with speaking up. There are around 80 women who have already accused Weinstein, and other women may feel safer speaking up as there are already many people pressing charges against him. Also, Weinstein is facing a trial, and victims may feel safer accusing him in a more official setting.
There are times where I have felt powerless in situations, such as arguments with family. My mom and dad are in control when we argue, and I often can’t say things that I would want to say in fear of getting in trouble. Of course, the victims in the allegations had it much harder, as they had absolutely no control of their situations. While I know that it is my parents that I’m arguing with, the women pressing charges say that Weinstein threatened their lives.
1. I agree with Rhys that Harvey Weinstein will most definitely face life in prison because rape and sexual abuse are horrific offenses. Since eighty women have already accused him, Weinstein is almost certainly guilty. He will rightfully be punished for his wrongdoing.
ReplyDelete2. Some women are probably afraid to speak up because Harvey Weinstein is very powerful in this situation. Many of the people he abused were probably not as well known as he was, which probably made it especially difficult for the first accuser to speak up. He most likely threatened the women he abused in order to ensure that they would not speak up. There have been countless instances of rape and sexual abuse in Hollywood and in other situations, and many have only come to light during the #MeToo movement. The reason it took many women a long time to speak up is probably due to the power dynamic involved.
3. Since eighty women have already accused Harvey Weinstein, and speaking up about sexual abuse is very hard for many victims, there are probably more women who have not spoken out yet. The number of women who accuse him of rape will probably increase now that the trial is happening.
4. l have felt powerless in many situations. Like many others said, sometimes I feel powerless when I am arguing with my family. However, that is not a very dangerous situation, unlike rape and sexual assault, which are much more serious. It is very brave of these women to speak out, especially in a situation where they could feel powerless.
1. I agree with Rhys that rape is a very serious crime and Weinstein will probably get up to life in prison. 80 women have accused Weinstein of Sexual misconduct and it is likely that many of those allegations are true. If there is strong evidence against Weinstein then he will definitely serve up to a lifetime in prison.
ReplyDelete2. Harvey Weinstein is a very powerful and influential person. Many women might be scared to speak up against him because they know he could threaten them. I agree with Sophia that rape is a very scaring act which is why many women do not want to relive the horrible experience.
3. Because of the metoo movement with 80 women coming out against Weinstein I think that more will come out. I agree with gram that due to the substantial amount of accusers that women will feel safer to speak out against Harvey Weinstein.
4. I have felt powerless in a situation. Sometimes if I get into an argument with my parents they don’t listen to my side of the story which makes me feel like I have no power.
1. I believe that Weinstein will certainly face multiple years in prison. Raping multiple individuals can not go unnoticed. This is a serious crime, and agreeing with Rhys, if 80 women have accused him of rape, not . all 80 could be saying this under false pretenses, some of them must be speaking the truth. It is extremely clear that once these allegations can be fully proved Weinstein will definetly spend time in prison.
ReplyDelete2. Weinstein has made many extremely successful movies, so he has lots of credit, and he is very powerful. Some of these women could be scared to speak up because they don't want people to believe they are lying when they aren't. Maybe they think it's better to keep it in than tell the truth and be shut down.
3. Because of the trials coming up, and the many allegation towards them, it is likely that woman will feel safer speaking out. If they didn't feel safe earlier then now that so many people have said something it would not be suprising if more spoke up.
4. Occasionally, with my parents I have an argument with them and try to prove an important point, but because they have significantly more power than a 13 year I . often feel powerless knowing that they haven't even taken what I say into consideration.
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ReplyDelete1. I agree with Nick that Weinstein will face a long prison sentence. Even if there isn't any strong evidence, the sheer number of individuals that have accused him of rape is enough to demonstrate the severity of his actions.
ReplyDelete2. It is often hard to be the first to come out or come out at all about such a topic. A lot of people would rather bury their mistakes and not have to think about it rather than exposing it to the public. On top of this, Weinstein is also a big name in the film industry and many are afraid of challenging such a power figure.
3. Because of the many people that have already accused Weinstein and the upcoming trial, I think more people will feel more comfortable to expose a history with Weinstein they might have previously buried deep inside them.
4. Especially when I was younger, I felt a lot of times that because my sister was older, she would win a lot more arguments because she was supposedly "more mature". This has become more rare as time went by but my parents today are still sometimes blinded by the the age gape between me and my sister.
ReplyDelete1.
I agree with Rhys when he says that he will be punished for his crimes. However, I think that because of the powerful position that Weinstein held he won’t get the punishment that he deserves. Being in a power trip such as being sexually harrassed is an awful situation that requires tons of strength to just come forward. But then on top of that these women have to face being treated as liers and attention seekers while the guilty party is relaxed texting on his phone because he is powerful. If it were up to me I think that Weinstein would get life in prison as Rhys said, but as a said earlier, because of his status he will receive much less.
2.
I don’t think that it is only some of these women that are afraid to speak up. Before any of these women filed these charges against Weinstein they must acknowledge what they are giving up, their jobs, their reputation and much more. Because the offenders are usually rich and powerful many people are influenced by them which causes the victims to go through scrutiny because some people believe that these women would rather lose all of their hard work just in an attempt to get some attention. So these women are afraid as they sadly should be because by accusing the offender they may have ruined their life.
3.
I believe that now because so many other women have stepped forward it is easier to if there are any more victims. Now that Weinstein is in trail it might be easier to speak out against him so if there are more women who have not accused him already,
4.
As others have said I sometimes have felt powerless when fightong against my odler sister and my parents.They have more power and my sister can sway people easily and my parents, by being my parents, can end a conversation by saying that it must be ended.
1. I think that Harvey Weinstein will be punished for his action with prison time. With the sheer amount of accusations it will be very difficult for Weinstein to avoid punishment. I also believe that he won't go to prison for too long because he is a powerful person, and sometimes people with that amount of power can get away with a lot more than the normal person.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with Paul that it is difficult to come out and accuse someone when they are so powerful. People are risking their reputation and maybe even their job by coming out to accuse Weinstein. Weinstein is a very powerful man so that can really influence how easily people will call him out.
3. Many women have already called out Harvey Weinstein for sexual assault, so I doubt that there are many other women. On the other hand there could be even more women who have been sexually assaulted, but scared to say anything until other people have.
4.Being an older sibling sometimes I feel powerless, because it can feel like my parents always take there side. So if we every get into an argument I can sometimes feel powerless, because I know my parents will take their side.
1. I agree with Rhys and I think that Harvey Weinstein will face life in prison. 80 women is a lot of people, but even if only one person accused him I think he still deserves a pretty big punishment.
ReplyDelete2. I think that some women are afraid to speak up because Harvey Weinstein is pretty powerful and he is a well known person. These women probably don't want to get involved because he attracts publicity and they wouldn't want to be the center of attention. They also may not want to go against him because he probably has a lot of people who have his back.
3. I do think other women will accuse Harvey Weinstein. Since 80 women already have accused him I feel like others will feel more confident and they will do so as well. But we don't know exactly if there are any more women he has sexually assaulted.
4. Similar to Liam I am also an older sibling, so my two sisters will come together and blame me for whatever was done. Then my parents will believe them because it's two against one. These kind of situations make me feel powerless.
1. Harvey Weinstein should be imprisoned for life for committing these acts. However, as Rhys said, Weinstein might not be able to be proven guilty of sexual misconduct as there is no physical evidence of a crime committed. Although it is unlikely that all 80 of his accusers are lying, he could still plausibly deny the claims.
ReplyDelete2. Some women may be afraid to speak up because of the impact it could have on their careers. Weinstein is an influential person in the filmmaking industry, and the people who have accused him would lose a lot of credibility and opportunities, especially if he is not found guilty of these allegations.
3. Weinstein will likely face more accusers as the trial continues. Many people will feel more inclined to share their stories if they feel confident that it will be taken seriously. There is also a certain safety in numbers that will draw out more people to speak out against Weinstein.
4. There are many situations where I feel like I have no power, such as when I'm trying to change my parents' minds. If they are set on one opinion, there is not much I can do to change it and I feel powerless when I present them with facts and evidence and it is just ignored.
1. Weinstein will undoubtedly get a lifetime prison sentence, if not multiple lifetime sentences. The fact that eighty women are prepared to testify against him is no small thing. However, I agree with Kate in that he will most likely receive a diminished sentence due to his position of power.
ReplyDelete2. Many women are afraid to speak up due to the position of power that Weinstein holds. He most likely has a lot more resources than they do, so could have them punished if they do speak up. There's a reason that in trials involving the mafia, people testifying against them are hidden from view. It's for their safety. People can be tracked down very easily nowadays, so the easiest way to defend yourself is to do nothing at all.
3. If there are more women that can accuse him of molesting them, they will most likely speak up later. Who wouldn't want to exact their revenge on somebody who has annoyed them, to say the least. I agree with Nikki in that there is a safety in numbers that will probably cause more people to call Weinstein out.
4. There have been many situations throughout my life where I have been somewhat powerless. However, what separates the wolves from the dogs is how well one can adapt to difficult situations. I, for one, am pretty good at getting my way in situations where I have little to no power.
1) I agree with Ali, I think Weinstein will get a lifetime prison sentence. If eighty women are ready to testify against him than it is a big deal. I also agree with Kate because his position of power will definitely play a part on what his sentence shorter.
ReplyDelete2) I think women may be afraid to speak up because of what it could have on their careers. Like Nikki said, Weinstein is an influential person, and the people who are accusing him of doing this would look bad due to the fact that a lot of people like him. It has higher risk for them too since we don't know if it's true.
3) I do think more women will accuse Harvey Weinstein. If that many women gained enough confidence to accuse him of such things than they will feel like they have people supporting them and will come out with more allegations. It is hard to make any predictions though, they still haven't found out if any of these accusations are true.
4) I have felt powerless. When my parents get mad at me they don't like to let me speak, they usually just keep telling me how mad they are at me and tell me to go to my room. Sometimes they don't give me the chance to defend myself or tell my side of the story.
1. I agree with Nikki that Weinstein should be imprisoned for life but is probably not going to end up being in jail for life. There is no physical evidence that Weinstein committed any of these crimes. It’s pretty much just a bunch of women accusing him. Although not all will be telling the truth, some will.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with Ali that women are afraid to speak up against Weinstein because of the amount of power he has. Weinstein could ruin their lives if they wanted to become actresses because of how big a producer Weinstein is. I believe many women are afraid to speak up because his power can make it so things go his way.
3. I have no idea whether more women are going to try and accuse Weinstein. There’s no way to predict whether more women are going to accuse him. He didn’t commit all his supposed crimes all at once so we’ll just have to wait and see if any more women accuse him.
4. I have felt powerless in situations that involve adults because typically a teenager’s word would never go over an adult’s word. That’s just how the world works.