Harvey Weinstein on leave of absence amidst allegations of sexual harassment

The New York Times released a report of what it said is decades of sexual harassment against one of Hollywood’s top producers, Harvey Weinstein

 

The producer is a co-chairman of The Weinstein Company, the same filmmaking organisations where Malia Obama a one-year intern prior to going to Harvard. The New York Times claims that its investigation unearthed  “previously undisclosed allegations against Mr Weinstein stretching over nearly three decades, documented through interviews with current and former employees and film industry workers, as well as legal records, emails and internal documents from the businesses he has run, Miramax and the Weinstein Company.”

 

 

 

One of the alleged victims includes star actress and activist Ashley Judd. According to the New York Times, allegations of unsolicited sexual advances against some of the alleged victims include “appearing nearly or fully naked in front of them, requiring them to be present while he bathed or repeatedly asking for a massage or initiating one himself.”

 

 

The women are usually in their early or mid-twenties, and it appears that Mr Weinstein can switch quickly from business mindedness to sexual advance very quickly. He’s said to have offered to boost some of the women’s career if they accept his sexual advances. The New York Times also reported that Mr Weinstein had made several settlements in the past for sexual harassment claims.

 

Meanwhile, Mr Weinstein has issued a statement to The New York Times following the publication of the report. “I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it. Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go,” the statement partly reads. He added that he was working with therapists and planning to take a leave of absence to “deal with this issue head-on.”

Notwithstanding the statement. Lisa Bloom, a lawyer advising Mr Weinstein, said in a statement that “he denies many of the accusations as patently false.” There is, however, no comment from Mr Weinstein’s camp regarding any of the alleged settlements.

 

For full story of the allegations, visit the New York Times website

 

 

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