Harvey Weinstein

[caperberries]

Rumours have been circulating about this disgusting man and his sleazy casting couch for years... He has offered a half-hearted apology, but seems rather smug about the fact that his family are supporting him.

AIBU to think his wife is misguided? What sort of example is she setting to her daughter? After all, this isn't a one-off - it is a pattern of serious abuse of women over decades.

www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/us/harvey-weinstein-harassment-allegations.html

Isn't a bit hypocritical of DK to muse on whether women are presenting themselves in a certain way when she herself is dressing in a way that would be seen as whoreish in some cultures.

We live in a society that encourages women to sexualise themselves, tell them that if they want to get ahead they'd better dress a certain way, that mocks women especially in Hollywood who don't present themselves as constantly appealing then blames them for being too appealing, too sexualised for "asking for trouble".

Seriously you just can't win.

I wonder if MNHQ would be willing to put together a survey in conjunction with a Women's Charity and our input which could be published showing how widespread this sort of abuse is?

This I would like to see. I also wonder about naming names, anonymously, and if the same names keep popping up... Not sure how this works practically, but I can't think of another way where women can anonymously say their attacker.

I also have been reading about RP. Honestly didn't know much about it before, feel sick reading it.

Yes women are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. On every level.

Yes I think it would be good

Some men and that probably goes for most men are shocked at how often women get harassed and assaulted. many just don't get the vulnerability we can often feel not becuase they dismiss it but becuase it's not something they experience day in day out

Stealing this from another poster, though it's not directly about sexual assault I think it sums up a lot about our culture

To quote Margaret Atwood:
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."

From the article:

We will have to speak to our leaders as well – particularly in California. I'm not too shy to go and talk to the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and to ask him once and for all to look at this. The problem is to do with the legal situation in the state. They are doing this because they want a circus, to make their toughness

Arnold Schwarzenegger. You know that other rapist.

What a lovely article... Warren Beatty, Quentin Tarento, Scorsese all weeping in to their cornflakes about poor old grandpa Polanski.

Who had a sad life and therefore was forced to anally rape a child.

If anyone ever dares tell me again that there is no such thing as “The Patriarchy” I will politely point them to that article about a rich male abuser getting sympathy from other male abusers who are requesting help from political male abusers and then getting the story published

@Feministcheeseplate
I'm with you on this. The patriarchy reigns
Why the actual fuck did the independent let him publish this

I was 15 and playing a game on my computer when a family "friend" came through to give me a chocolate. He held the tube out for me and as I reached to get the chocolate, he groped my breast. He did this twice.

I froze and didn't say anything because I thought it wasn't real and I imagined it. DM notice I was out of sorts and I told her. My parents went round to confront him and I never had to see him again (although I did once in town).

I was depressed and quit my PhD after my PhD supervisor hit on me after a lecture. I saw him crush someone against a wall and was scared to say no but also flattered by the attention. I didn't realise just how much he was abusing his power until I tried to leave him and have him removed as my supervisor. He ruined my reputation, threatened me against trying to get a new supervisor, and destroyed me and any hope of being able to do my PhD. I tried to speak out but it damaged too much and I felt I had to leave. He was promoted around same time.

These stories are heartbreaking

My stepfather sexually harassed me as a teenager, offering me money for sex and standing masturbating in hallways when it was just us 2 in the house.

My mum found out, and she’s still with him. I haven’t reported it, but I’ve stopped keeping it a secret. My mum is in a position to leave him (as in she has money and family support) but she just won’t. She figures being with him is better than not being with him.

I don’t think my story is that rare. Vile, sick MEN the world over harassing and abusing women. And an army of followers ready to condemn their victims the moment that doubt is cast on the character of their bestie. I don’t think feminism is about “man hating” but let’s face it, who could blame any woman for hating men?!

YY fridge and a newspaper columnist calling a CHILD who was the victim of sexual assault ‘a slag’ in her headline.

Women’s rights is going backwards, not forwards, and it frustrates me when people say “men and women are equal now”. 😡😡😡😡

I feel so depressed at the world tonight. The world is rife with sexual harassment and abuse, most of it aimed at women and I feel we are powerless to stop it. Everything that is supposed to be good and fun in the world seems to be tainted by this seedy underworld of men abusing their positions of power and women having to put up and shut up. I want to keep my daughters safe from these monsters but I don’t know how

MNHQ - maybe we could have a thread where we can post our experience of sexual assault past and present.

I don’t think people realise the magnitude of the issue.

Imagine a thread where every MNetter can say “today x happened to me”. Every day.

A diary of sexual assault/harassment from the community so show collectively how prolific the issue is.

Thoughts everyone?

Sounds like a good idea Darth, not sure where it could go - Chat will disappear after 90 days but it needs to be somewhere that gets a lot of traffic.

It could just be called "We Believe You"

So depressing reading all of this shit. and I want to salute the courage of those of you have told your awful stories.

Tonight I spoke to DD1, 2nd year at uni. She and some girlfriends went on the rugby club boat trip - one girl had her drink spiked, boat trip stopped, girl taken to A&E, released back to halls at 3am. When she woke up at 10am the first thing she found on her phone was a vile text from one of the rugby club members that she had "let the side down, she was a slag" etc etc.

DD1 also tells me that current dating lines include "I've bought you 2 vodka and cokes can we fuck now?" (funnily enough, she says "no, you can fuck right off")

I honestly think it is getting worse.

@CaveMum

I like the idea of an “I believe you thread”.

Interesting to see what other posters think.

@yolofish

I suppose that’s why I’m suggesting a thread - diary? - of this level of harassment.

Well I think I might try anyway

A member of the pussycat dolls has come out and said she was pressured into sleeping with men for money. I think it's been deleted now, along with the one article that talked about it. here is a screenshot of what she wrote.

I've read about this stuff going on for years but to see it all coming out is still shocking.

I started a thread under a different name a few years ago after Rolf Harris ( was in chat so gone now) on if you experienced sexual assault why didn’t you report it? It was heartbreaking and huge.

Tbh I’m a bit wary about disclosing anything on MN now because of the bloody Daily Mail lifting threads.

Not saying it’s not a good idea just that I’m personally more wary...

I'd support that DarthMaiden it's a really good idea.

ScaredyCat3000 are you insinuating Steven Spielberg has things he might not want to come out?