Hellish tales of assault in Hollywood

‘THESE are dark days for Hollywood rapists,” a friend joked. I was grateful for the laugh. Since the weekend, the open wound created by Harvey Weinstein has prompted actors, writers and crew members to recall their own hellish tales of assault.

For those who work in TV and movies, the stories pile up in our social media feeds and phone texts. They all have two things in common: one human disregarded another human’s agency, and the names of the offenders are not revealed.

In the TV show, Dragnet, names were changed to protect the innocent. Now they’re dropped to protect the guilty. Victims are leaving out the one detail that could make the biggest difference.

It’s been almost 30 years since I joined this not-very-exclusive club and I’m not naming names. My fear is not of the person, but what speaking up will signal to the community.

“Hollywood is the only place where if someone screws you over and you call them out on it, you’re the jerk,” a writer friend said.

We were talking about another friend whose idea for a TV show had been stolen by a big-name producer.

The injured writer decided it was not worth angering a gatekeeper.

That writer felt he had no recourse. It’s the same with victims of sexual assault.

Hollywood is built on relationships and the way you keep relationships is by playing nice. “I moved here 30 years ago this month,” actress Julie Warner wrote on Facebook. “There exists a pernicious disease of sexism here in Hollywood… I could tell my truths about the powerful men who crossed the line with me in my twenties, and thirties, attempted rapes, harassment, vile truths, but I don’t want to freak my kid out.

“I could also name the powerful men and women who knew and told me to cope but never to reveal if I wanted to keep working.”

Julie hashtagged her compelling and moving post: #Nopitypleasejustchange.

The desire to keep doing what we love supersedes the desire to penalise bad behaviour.

Not naming names allows the predators to persist, but naming names hurts the victims.

This stalemate means that part of the solution has to come from outside. The enablers are a huge part of the problem.

At the very least, people need to start believing the victims and stop defending the perpetrators.

Talent agencies and entertainment lawyers can do more to protect their clients. Agents could start circulating a list internally: “Here are the people who have been reported for treating clients of ours unprofessionally.”

If an agency’s own client lands on that list, the agents should question their complicity.

Also, if an actress or actor tells their lawyer that they’ve been emotionally abused or physically assaulted, that lawyer should feel an obligation to contact the abuser’s lawyer and put them on notice.

The guilds – writers, directors, producers and screen actors – could gather and spread more information.

Journalists can make a difference, too. Some names of offenders crop up repeatedly and reporters should follow those leads.

If those reporters get the silent treatment from the network, studio and managers, that complicity should become part of the story.

Julie Warner had a lovely idea: women – and men – in the industry should meet in private settings to share their experiences.

If some victims still didn’t feel comfortable speaking candidly, they could scribble down names and throw them anonymously into a hat.

When a name comes up more than once, the group could be alerted and given the chance to come forward together.The ultimate goal is that the assaulters are not just tried in a court of public opinion, but in an actual court of law.

So far, the alleged predators seem to be a step ahead of prosecution. Bill Cosby has avoided jail. Donald Trump became president. Roger Ailes ran out the clock. Harvey Weinstein supposedly flew off in a private jet to a sex rehab clinic in Europe.

Hollywood culture could use some sex rehab, too. It would be so nice to live in a place where if someone screws you over and you call them on it, they’re the jerk.

● Scovell is a Hollywood writer, director and producer who co-wrote Lean In. – Washington Post