Reactions to Harvey Weinstein's Arrest May 25, 2018
These Reactions to Harvey Weinstein's Arrest Show Just How Meaningful This Moment Is
On May 25, 2018, Harvey Weinstein walked out of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in handcuffs. He turned himself in to the New York City police department on Friday morning, and was arrested on one count of first-degree rape, one count of third-degree rape, and one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree. This is a huge breakthrough in the cultural shift toward accountability, an ongoing movement that was invigorated, in large part, due to several exposés on the former movie producer in the Fall of 2017. Although Weinstein paid his $1 million bail, the case was adjourned to July 30, and he will be forced to wear an electronic tracking device at all times.
For decades, the now-disgraced and divorced film mogul allegedly abused his position of power and manipulated women by turning business meetings into hunting grounds for his own personal pleasure, forcing and attempting naked massages, masturbation, fondling, oral sex, and rape, among other sexual acts, and threatening to jeopardize aspiring actresses' careers if they reported him. At least 85 women have spoken about those encounters with Weinstein.
"Today's charges reflect significant progress in this active, ongoing investigation," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said in a statement, according to ABC News. "I thank the brave survivors who have come forward, and my office's prosecutors who have worked tirelessly on this investigation."
When the news of his arrest broke, champions of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements let out a resounding sigh of relief, acknowledging that the fight isn't over, but that an important step has been made. Many of Weinstein's accusers and those close to them shared their gratification. Put simply by Rose McGowan, who was raped by Weinstein, "We got you." Others thanked Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, the New York Times reporters who investigated for months before publishing the piece that opened the floodgates last Fall. Take a look at how people reacted to this groundbreaking news.
