By Joanne Kim
Staff Writer
A 38-year-old model-actress from Italy was the sixth woman to accuse movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, according to the Los Angeles Times.
BBC reported that Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of other women as well. Actresses Asia Argento, Rose McGowan, Lysette Anthony and Lucia Evans have also publicly accused Weinstein of rape.
Weinstein has been fired for his misconduct from the production company he cofounded, Weinstein Co., according to Forbes.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the model-actress on Oct. 12 gave her statement to Los Angeles police detectives. The alleged crime falls within the 10-year statute of limitations. If evidence exists, the prosecution can use this case to discuss rape, and potentially criminally charge Weinstein.
Weinstein has denied all allegations of rape, according to BBC.
The 38-year-old model-actress said the alleged incident occurred at the Mr. C Beverly Hills Hotel, according to the Los Angeles Times. It happened after she had attended the eighth annual Los Angeles, Italian Film, Fashion and Art Fest in February 2013.
The Los Angeles Times reported after the film fest, Weinstein was said to have showed up unexpectedly at the lobby of the woman’s hotel. Weinstein asked her if he can come up to her room. She said she told him no and offered to meet him downstairs. But then Weinstein knocked at her door.
“He … bullied his way into my hotel room, saying, ‘I’m not going to (have sex with) you, I just want to talk,’” the woman said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Once inside, he asked me questions about myself, but soon became very aggressive and demanding and kept asking to see me naked. He grabbed me by the hair and forced me to do something I did not want to do. He then dragged me to the bathroom and forcibly raped me.”
Finally, Weinstein left, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“It was the most demeaning thing ever done to me by far. It sickens me still. … He made me feel like an object, like nothing with all his power,” the woman said.
The allegations BBC compiled speak of Weinstein using his influence in the movie industry as a threat against women at the start of their careers.
The Los Angeles Times said the model-actress only persevered through the fear of retaliation to tell this story because of her daughter. When her daughter told her a boy had been mistreating her, the model-actress told her daughter about this incident to comfort her and get her daughter to report the mistreatment. The daughter pointed out the mother should report Weinstein by the same logic.
The Washington Post reported that Twitter campaigns like #MeToo showed consolidation for victims by affirming many other instances of sexual assault.
The trend of sexual misconduct is still prevalent in the Hollywood movie industry, as USA Today reported that 38 women as of Sunday, Oct. 22, have accused director James Toback of sexual harassment.
