Harvey Weinstein Accusers Applaud His Conviction Of Rape, Sexual Assault In New York
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Nearly a dozen women who have accused disgraced Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein of sexually abusing them applauded his conviction of rape and sexual assault in New York.
"Now we know that if we dare to speak, there is a far greater chance that we will be heard and our abusers will be punished," actress Rosanna Arquette said.
Weinstein, 67, was found guilty Monday of third-degree rape and sexual assault in New York, but still faces charges in Los Angeles. More than 80 women, many of them well-known actresses, have accused him of sexual assault or harassment.
The women who spoke out today in front of LA City Hall called themselves the "silence breakers." The accusations against Weinstein are believed to have kicked off the #MeToo movement, in which woman across the country and across all industries accused powerful men of sexual misconduct that had previously only been talked about in the background.
Actress Caitlin Dulany said many of them had already been involved in civil proceedings with Weinstein, but it's not known how many of them would be able to testify him in the Los Angeles criminal proceedings.
"There will hopefully be more of us who can testify to prior bad acts, because from what I understand, there's more leeway to bring in witnesses and I certainly hope you hear from all of us, many of us in that trial as well," she said.
An attorney for Weinstein, who is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, says they plan to file an appeal.
