‘Weinstein Effect’ goes global
Powerful men from around the world are being confronted with allegations of predatory sexual behaviour
The sexual harassment and assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein that rocked Hollywood and sparked a flurry of allegations in other industries, as well as the political arena, are reaching far beyond North America. Here’s a look at where the fallout — and the falls — have reverberated most strongly, from the United Kingdom and Israel to France and Peru:
UNITED KINGDOM
The British government has been rocked by a series of harassment allegations that have led to one high-level resignation — that of Defence Secretary Michael Fallon — and threatened the position of First Secretary of State Damian Green.
The accusations have come from parliamentary researchers, staff and journalists. Some have said the political parties involved failed to take action and actively discouraged victims from going to police. Claims range from unwanted touching to allegations of rape.
The scandal has spread beyond Cabinet ranks to snare a number of members of Parliament and also politicians in Scotland and in Wales, where Labour Party legislator Carl Sargeant is believed to have taken his own life after harassment allegations cost him his government post. His grieving family said he was never even told the nature of the allegations against him.
ISRAEL
The floodgates opened in Israel earlier this month when journalist Oshrat Kotler revealed that Israeli media mogul and International Olympic Committee member Alex Gilady had made an “indecent” proposal to her during a job interview 25 years ago. Haaretz columnist Neri Livneh said Gilady exposed himself to her during a 1999 business meeting. Two other women said Gilady had raped them.
He denied the rape accusations, said he doesn’t recall the Kotler incident but said Livneh’s claim was “mainly correct” and apologized. The 74-year-old Gilady stepped down as president of the local Keshet broadcasting company he founded.
Media personality Gabi Gazit addressed the allegations dismissively on his radio show, prompting Dana Weiss — another prominent local TV journalist — to accuse him of just such behaviour. Weiss said Gazit had randomly kissed her on the mouth during chance encounters in TV studios. Gazit denied the accusations but three other woman have come forward with similar stories and he was forced to take leave from his show.
INDIA
Vrinda Grover, a New Delhi lawyer and women’s rights activist, said powerful men for centuries have assumed sexual entitlement. She said there has been increased conversation about the problem but sexual harassment continues and authorities, including the police, often deliberately impede investigations.
Grover said since the Weinstein allegations there has been a pattern of women in other countries feeling empowered to speak up because society is now condemning such behaviour.
“But I don’t see that happening in India, and that is worrying,” she said.
“It’s a country in which rape victims don’t get justice and society is often an accomplice.”
ITALY
In Italy, the Weinstein scandal has been front-page news because Italian actress Asia Argento was one of the main accusers in an exposé by The New Yorker, with Italian newspaper editorials and commentary accusing her of creating trouble.
But the scandal has taken on new life with accusations by 10 women that an Italian television and film director, Fausto Brizzi, molested them. He has strenuously denied having non-consensual sex.
The Weinstein scandal has also drawn attention to Italian law, which requires that a victim of sexual assault report the crime within six months of the act. Several women who said they were assaulted by Brizzi said they feared professional retaliation or defamation claims by the director.
FRANCE
French women are denouncing alleged abusers with unprecedented openness, with reports of rape, harassment and other abuse on the rise. An online campaign under the hashtag #balancetonporc (“squeal on your pig”) kicked off in French even before the “#metoo” campaign began and went viral globally.
Roman Polanski, who fled the United States in the 1970s after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a 13-year-old, lives freely in France.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former International Monetary Fund chief accused by a New York hotel maid and others of sexual aggression, hasn’t said anything about harassment.
SOUTH AFRICA
In South Africa, former member of parliament Jennifer Ferguson came forward to allege she was raped in 1993 by Danny Jordaan, president of the country’s soccer association. Jordaan denied the accusation. Ferguson, an anti-apartheid folk singer, said Jordaan raped her in a hotel room after she gave a concert.
CANADA
The founder of Montreal’s renowned Just for Laughs comedy festival recently stepped down as president of the organization after allegations from at least nine women he either sexually harassed or sexually assaulted. Gilbert Rozon, 63, announced he would sell all his shares amid the allegations.
Julie Snyder, one of the biggest names in Quebec’s entertainment industry, has filed a sexual assault complaint against Rozon.
PERU
In Peru, this year’s beauty pageant to select the country’s candidate for the Miss Universe competition was a surprise venue for denouncing gender-based violence against women.
Instead of citing their body measurements, as is customary, each of the 23 contestants recounted frightening statistics about the mistreatment of women in the South American nation.
“I’m Camila Canicoba and I represent the city of Lima. My measurements are 2,002 cases of femicides reported in the last nine years in my country,” said one participant as images of abused women projected on a screen behind the catwalk.