The revelations of serial sexual assault and abuse allegedly perpetrated by Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein against a seemingly endless list of young and aspiring actors has shaken the film industry to its core and tarnished the glittering tinsel image as never before. Indeed, while no one specific allegation against Weinstein has been proven in court, there does appear to be an overwhelming body of evidence that points to a malicious pattern of behaviour over decades, and one that appears to be corroborated certainly in the sheer number of actors coming forward. The sheer volume of allegations speaks to a revealing reprehensible and repugnant repertoire of a mogul who mixed the power and prestige that his position brought with his most base animistic and physical instincts.
While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has taken the very rare step of expelling the producer from its ranks, police forces on two continents are investigating the complaints with a view to securing a criminal prosecution against Weinstein. That in itself may offer some small condolence to the ranks of women who have come forward and accused the producer of behaviour that underscores the public perception of a private audition on a director’s couch — and sadly now it seems as if that stereotypical scene is played out all too often for budding artists.
But this sad affair has done more than highlight the hedonistic hubris of Weinstein — it has also spurred women to speak out in their thousands against sexual abuse and harassment.
The hashtag #MeToo has been trending on Twitter and speaks about the sheer number of women who have been subjected to sexual harassment. It is affording all an opportunity to safely join a chorus of the abused who are together saying that enough is enough. Whether it be Hollywood or Bollywood, no women should have to be subjected to such behaviour.
For all the escapism the silver screen affords, it is now offering an opportunity for all women to document their own painful experiences.
We live in the early decades of the third millennium, in an age where men and women together ought to be judged — and judge — on their skills, not sexuality. There can be no place in the workplace or the home space, in the professional or the personal, in society or in seclusion for any woman to be treated or tendered as an object for sexual exploitation and harassment.
