Abuse of power

More and more women have come forward in recent days to share their stories of sexual harassment and abuse by film producer Harvey Weinstein, breaking the long silence surrounding his behavior. The details of Weinstein’s actions are grotesque enough. But just as shocking is the fact that his systematic abuse of power seems to have been an open secret.

While many women have made their experiences public, legal settlements previously reached with Weinstein have prevented others from speaking out. Meanwhile, his employees—some of whom he reportedly assaulted or harassed as well—are bound by nondisclosure agreements. And such contracts were not the only tools that Weinstein used to ensure silence. Aspiring actresses and rising stars describe fearing that the powerful producer could end their careers if they spoke out against him. Weinstein also turned the media into a weapon: In at least one case, he fed negative information to reporters about an accuser who had gone to the police.

It’s possible that Weinstein could face legal repercussions from his behavior, though the likelihood of success of any such suit remains unclear. We hope the stories of the women who lived through Weinstein’s attacks will give other victims the strength to come forward.

But these stories also make clear the crucial role that those in positions of responsibility must play by denouncing misconduct when they see it and demanding accountability, rather than remaining quietly complicit.