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Original poster

Asia Argento

62 replies

Beaverhausen · 21/08/2018 08:19

So over the past few weeks it has come to light that two of Harvey Weinsteins accusers credibility is in question.

There was one whose emails has been released to the authorities and media where she declares her undying love to him and wanting to see him etc and that she does not want to feel like a "booty call".

And then this past week Asia Argento who paid an Actor $380 000 hush money for sexually assaulting when he was 17 years old. She was one of the main instigators of the #Metoo movement.

I am not saying that women have lied about their experiences with this vile man but what I am saying is that it is kind of making a mockery of it if there are women who have lied for their own gain.

Surely it will put into question the case against him if this is all starting to come to light and this man might not pay for what he has done to women in the past.

OP posts:
argumentativefeminist · 21/08/2018 08:28

Being in love with someone doesn't mean they didn't sexually assault you. And although the Asia case is pretty grim, it doesn't mean that she wasn't sexually assaulted by Weinstein at a later date either. I agree that her case undermines her credibility as a figurehead for the cultural movement, but I can't see that it undermines the legal case.

ShatnersWig · 21/08/2018 08:29

In terms of Weinstein, I think the emails from the one declaring undying love might only be problematic if she was the sole accuser. There are many accusers and plenty of good, solid evidence.

In terms of Asia Argento, she should be arrested and investigated immediately and charged accordingly if necessary. She should receive precisely the same treatment as a man would under identical circumstances. The fact that she has been a main instigator of #MeToo is actually very troubling, in my opinion.

Cakemonger · 21/08/2018 08:42

I really hope it doesn't undermine the #metoo movement. Yes, she should be investigated just as Weinstein is. The point of the movement is justice for all abuse victims - men and women.

A crime is the same whether perpetrated against a 'perfect victim' or someone who has also committed a crime. I hope the movement is strong enough to start to incorporate these nuances.

ShatnersWig · 21/08/2018 08:47

The coverage of the Argento allegation in the media seems much lower key than with male celebrities.

mholz · 21/08/2018 14:38

She was one of the loudest voices of the #MeToo movement, speaking up on behalf of survivors of sexual assault and promising that “More pigs will be revealed”. Argento's supporters are saying "be gentle"...as a woman, she's a disgrace, she could have checked her past before accusing "WeinSchwein". In my opinion, Argento is a Pedophile and should be charged. What made it worse, she paid hush money!!! Look at Stormy vs Trump! Hush money doesn't help your credibility.

ShatnersWig · 21/08/2018 14:56

@mholz Yes, I saw some of comments from other celebrity women and was rather sickened at how differently they are responding to Argento compared to a man in the same position.

ShatnersWig · 21/08/2018 15:02

It's Rose McGowan, of all people, saying we should "be gentle" to her friend Argento. Rosanna Arquette has called the allegations a "set up".

Excuse me? She settled out of court to keep it quiet, but it's a "set up"?

The hypocrisy is staggering.

Original poster
Beaverhausen · 21/08/2018 19:38

It is frightening how hypocritical these celebs can be. The fact is she raped a 17 year old boy and then paid him 380000 to keep quiet. Rape is rape and it should not be a lesser crime just because he is a man/was a boy.

I feel for those who genuinely suffered atbweinsteins grubby little hands and you are bright she needs to be held just as much to a count for what she did.

OP posts:
ShatnersWig · 21/08/2018 23:42

Most noticeable is that this thread hasn't even filled one page. Had this been a male celebrity accused, followed by other males saying "be gentle", this thread would be on page ten by now.

MozzieMagnet · 22/08/2018 04:51

So she's denied it...by

  1. claiming it didn't happen
  2. accusing the alleged victim of persecuting/blackmailing her
  3. saying it was her dead boyfriend's idea to pay him off

so the M.O is

  1. call the alleged victim a liar
  2. smear them
  3. blame a dead person for the cover-up

Awaiting the alleged victim's statement (His lawyer said her denial was false)

I think it has come out because the 200k lump sum was paid by Anthony Bourdain in April then 10k payments were going to be paid monthly until next October.
Perhaps these payments stopped when Tony killed himself. The pay-off was a third of a million, his estate was one million and that was the sum still outstanding on his 4 million flat allegedly.

What a clusterfuck.

MrBloomsLeftVeg · 22/08/2018 05:09

What is the age of consent in the USA?

MozzieMagnet · 22/08/2018 05:13

And yes, it is interesting how people react.

  1. The glee from Pervy Wankstain misogynist supporters who want a backlash against the #metoo movement
  2. The hypocrisy of some activists who advocate always believing the victim not doing that when the alleged aggressor is Argento
  3. The excuse of victims becoming perps being trotted out
  4. The idea of a young man always being up for it Summer of 42/Mrs Robinson style, men can't be raped (or groomed) by women
  5. The age of consent in different states argument
  6. The prominence of toxic femininity being a thing now

Bottom line...investigate and...
Try Harvey in court as per indictments
Prosecute Asia for statutory rape if sex took place
Prosecute Jimmy for extortion if no sex occurred
Pay Tony's widow and daughter his estate
Support victims of rape, abuse and harassment irrespective of age, sex, creed or ethnicity.

MozzieMagnet · 22/08/2018 05:15

Age of consent differs from state to state

MozzieMagnet · 22/08/2018 05:19

California is 18. James was 17.
20 year age gap.

MozzieMagnet · 22/08/2018 05:27

(add sexual preference to that sentence)

Enthusiastic consent.

ShatnersWig · 22/08/2018 07:57

Still not even a full page, I see.

Fascinating.

TheGoddessFrigg · 22/08/2018 08:05

Great. So not only did they have an 'open relationship' (on her side) - her richer older boyfriend was paying out money he couldn't really afford.

Gee - I wonder what she saw in him?Confused

ShatnersWig · 22/08/2018 08:12

Inevitably people are going to wonder if this had any role in his decision to commit suicide.

IfyouseeRitaMoreno · 22/08/2018 08:25

It’s entirely possible that she is both abuser AND victim. The two don’t cancel each other out.

It speaks about power and who has it.

What I don’t get is why she allowed herself to become such a leader of the #metoo campaign when she knew all this might come out.

Perhaps it was the vilification from the Italian press and public that forced her hand. They treated her terribly and still are.

It’s just so strange because her impassioned speech at Cannes, the way she’s carried herself in interviews about it showed such genuine anger.

One thing I’m certain of is that the MRA anti-MeTooers must be having a field day.

ShatnersWig · 22/08/2018 08:31

It’s entirely possible that she is both abuser AND victim. The two don’t cancel each other out.

No, this is true, in many case male sexual abusers have been proven to have been abused themselves, sometimes by females. Never seen women asking everyone to be gentle in those cases. Have you?

The fact is that there is a clear double standard at play here by some of the very women who have been at the forefront of MeToo and that is potentially very damaging.

They can't have it both ways, though. Either EVERYONE is vilified or EVERYONE receives "let's wait for the facts".

IfyouseeRitaMoreno · 22/08/2018 08:50

They can't have it both ways, though. Either EVERYONE is vilified or EVERYONE receives "let's wait for the facts".

I don’t think this applies to the HW / AA case though. Because with HW we did have the facts. The guy admitted many instances of assault himself and the sheer number of accusations was notable.

The thing is to me, the cultural significance of #metoo is not about vilifying/victimising individuals but about analysing the overall power structure and dynamic that allows people in power to abuse people lower down on the ladder.

So questions are: did Bennett’s career depend on AA? Perhaps it did I haven’t read enough to know. But the truth remains that there are more men in power deciding the fates of younger women than vice versa.

Individually of course it needs to be investigated and AA held accountable. But what is striking is the Italian media and public (and wider public in general) to greet AA’s accusation against HW with immediate disbelief whilst greeting the accusation against AA with gleeful “what a hypocrite. See told you so” rapture and using it as a way to discredit #metoo as a whole.

Nesssie · 22/08/2018 08:59

The whole ‘metoo’ thing is a shit show and has been gone about in completely the wrong way.
Now Male celebrities are being named and shamed before eventually being found innocent - Ed Westwick lost several roles and his reputation may never recover yet he was ultimately found innocent. Many ordinary men have had lives ruined by rape claims which have turned out to be false.
Celebrity or not, names in rape/sexual assault cases should not be made public until a guilty verdict has been found.

And unfortunately Asia and the other girl with the texts, may have really damaged the case for the real HW victims.

ShatnersWig · 22/08/2018 09:00

@IfyouseeRitaMoreno (love the name, btw) But MeToo isn't JUST about HW. It's supposed to be much wider than that. As you say it is also about "analysing the overall power structure and dynamic that allows people in power to abuse people lower down on the ladder"

Asia Argento would have had more power than Bennett who was lower down on the ladder. The dynamic is actually the same.

IfyouseeRitaMoreno · 22/08/2018 09:10

ShatnersWig haha I don’t know if I’m more inclined to agree with your last post because yes he was only 17 and therefore vulnerable (my DS is same age and idea of this happening to him by much older woman is Angry) or because you’re the first one to know where my username is from!

ShatnersWig · 22/08/2018 09:17

She'd also be higher up the ladder in terms of her position and name as an actress in comparison with his. She would have been able to wield power in a way he wouldn't (and clearly did if the reports are accurate). Even though she was not a name or power in the way Weinstein was or had.

This is why the response from the likes of McGowan and Arquette sickens me. They ARE the same dynamic they've been complaining (rightly) about but are responding hugely differently. Why?