Weinstein guilty again: abuse of power and devastating allegations!

Weinstein guilty again: abuse of power and devastating allegations!

New York, USA - Harvey Weinstein, the former film producer, was once again guilty of serious sexual crimes. The 73-year-old is accused of raping a prospective actress and sexually attacking two other women. Despite his plea for not guilty and the claim that all allegations were invented, the jury agreed on a judgment after five days. During the trial, which began on April 23, 2024, the jury heard from the applicants who argued that Weinstein had used his power and influence to manipulate women. The defense countered that the women from vengeance had lied after their mutually acceptable relationships with Weinstein had not brought the desired fame in Hollywood.

Weinstein's specific allegations in this procedure include the rape of Jessica Mann in 2013, the sexual attack on Miriam Haley in 2006 and the sexual abuse of Kaja Sokola, a 16-year-old actress in 2002. These new allegations are in addition to the charges that had already been made in an earlier procedure from 2020. In this process, Weinstein was guilty about the rape of men and the attack on Haley, while the allegations against Sokola were not discussed. This conviction has so far been considered the milestone of the #Metoo movement.

Court of appeals and their consequences

The state court of the state of New York raised the condemnation of 2020 in April 2024 because it had noticed errors in the procedure. In particular, it was criticized that women were allowed to testify that were not part of the indictment. This decision shocked many supporters of the #Metoo movement, who regarded the Weinstein case as a trigger for the global protests against sexual violence. Annemarie McAvoy, a former prosecutor, argued that the new procedure was not just a statement against a statement, but several women with similar allegations. It remains to be seen how this dynamic will affect the assessment of the credibility of the witnesses.

The current situation for Weinstein remains tense. Although he has health problems and took part in his procedure in a wheelchair, he will not be released because he was already sentenced to 16 years in prison in another procedure in California, against which he has appealed. Weinstein was described as a series perpetrator who promised women career opportunities to lure them into private situations, a reproach that his defense vehemently rejects and speaks of "mutual" relationships.

A look at the #Metoo movement and legal reforms

The #Metoo movement not only brought the wine stone case to the center of the discussion, but also triggered a comprehensive public debate about sexual assault. This led to an urgent need for reforms in sex criminal law in order to meet victims of sexual violence. It was recognized that the public pressure was crucial to introduce new facts and tightened punishments. For example, the principle "no means no" was introduced, which says that sexual contact is punishable without clear consent.

The recently made legal changes have modernized criminal law in order to better adapt it to the needs of those affected. Judges are more sensitive to sexual violence today and check the suffering of the victims in their judgments. Despite this progress, there are still challenges in enforcing the new laws, and criticism is practiced in implementation, especially with regard to the evidence of acts and the adequacy of the punishments.

The development of the #metoo movement and the associated legal reforms therefore remain of central importance for social examination of sexual assault. It remains to be seen how the current procedures against Weinstein and the subsequent judgments will further influence this debate.