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The field day surrounding the Harvey Weinstein scandal seems to have quieted down over the past several months. But after further damning evidence was recently released – this time in video form – the gauntlet is going to come down harder on Weinstein than ever before.
The video comes from a woman named Melissa Thompson. In 2011, Thompson attended a meeting at the Weinstein Company to demonstrate video technology for the movie mogul. The meeting consisted of Thompson, Weinstein, and a video camera – on which Thompson was both presenting her business proposal and filming Weinstein blatantly groping her. And even worse, this video happened mere hours before Weinstein allegedly raped Thompson.
In the video, Weinstein is seen inappropriately caressing Thompson and deliberately flirting with her. He can be heard making sexual remarks and unwanted advances towards the woman. Weinstein even goes so far as to tell her, “You’re hot.” Not only are his actions and words creepy in any scenario, this was supposedly a business pitch in a professional setting. Take a look at the video below. Warning: this footage is disturbing.
Sky News has an extended version of this video as well as Thompson’s commentary on the event. Here is what she says happened later that day, following this disgusting episode:
“’It wasn’t at 10, it wasn’t an invitation to go to his hotel room, it was an invitation to come to a hotel lobby that was within blocks of the office and so that to me felt much safer than being alone with him in his office.’
Ms. Thompson said Weinstein came to the hotel lobby and told her to follow him.
She assumed they were going to a conference room, but it was Weinstein’s hotel room.
There, she said, he raped her.
She said, ‘If I would try to fight myself away from him, he would then move around to a place where he could block me in. I constantly felt trapped, no matter where I turned. He cornered me, over and over again.’”
Absolutely heartbreaking and revolting. And though this footage is surely tough for Thompson to re-watch, it is brave women like her who are slowly yet assuredly paving the way to show all women that they too have a voice – and should use it with might.
Thompson is involved in the class-action lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein. Let’s hope that bastard is put away for good soon.
Filled with anger after reading this? Take a look at this video of Harvey Weinstein being punched at a restaurant.
