CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE

An avalanche of women eventually came out to tell their own Harvey horror story. Slower to react were Hollywood’s men, leading to accusations of a “bro culture” in which misogyny is alive and kicking.

The Guardian says it contacted 20 male actors and directors for comment but they were slow in responding. Quentin Tarantino, one of Weinstein’s favourite directors, eventually broke his silence, saying he was “stunned and heartbroken” over the allegations. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have also spoken out but not before they’d become embroiled in the scandal.

Matt was accused of helping to quash a 2004 report into Weinstein’s indiscretions and Ben Affleck found himself having to apologise for groping actress Hilarie Burton in 2003.

Rose McGowan – the actress instrumental to the exposé – was so incensed by Ben’s claim that he didn’t know about Weinstein’s behaviour that she went into a Twitter frenzy and was suspended from the social-media site for a while.

Rose claims Weinstein raped her, as have several other women since the story broke, but he denied he raped anyone.

Actress Lena Dunham has weighed in on the debate about the silence of men. Writing in The New York Times, she asked, “Men of Hollywood, what are you sorry for? Are you operating under the assumption that this is very sad but that it’s not your problem?”

He denied he raped anyone