The world was made aware of the horrific details that the victims of Henry Weinstein shared about his alleged sexual assault and harassment over the past several decades. It is becoming clearer, that in Hollywood, this was no big secret, but it wasn’t something that anyone was willing to help with. Victims were forced to either submit to his coercion or face the possibility of losing their careers in the film industry. Sexual assault was something that was formerly swept under the rug and not talked about, if the perpetrator was a man who held a powerful position of authority over others. This was just the beginning of what would be a cascade of victims stepping forward to share their stories about other celebrity personalities who had either sexually assaulted or harassed them.
The Good Old Boys Club
In Hollywood, we see that Weinstein was allowed to do what he pleased without regard for the well-being of others, or for the law. He was powerful and for a period, was untouchable. It was a policy of don’t ask and don’t tell. It was a part of the culture of power and self-gratifications where victims had no recourse. While this is nothing new, times are changing and those who once thought they could do whatever struck their fancy are learning that there are consequences for illegal actions. The good old boys club has been disbanded and sexual offenders are being called out on their actions.
Bravery and taking a chance
The brave victims who dared to step forward regardless of the consequences are helping to make America a safer place for everyone. Those who once took shameless advantage of those in weaker positions no longer hold the immune status they once believed they had, or do they? While in the Weinstein case, justice is moving forward, there are many more allegations that have yet to be proven
Matt Lauer’s firing from NBC
Many were shocked when the execs at NBC fired Matt Lauer. This came immediately after the executives met with the victim and her lawyer, citing such compelling evidence, that hey had no choice but to act quickly. There are several others in the public eye that have also been fired from their jobs. Journalists, Talk show hosts and actors have all been served notice that being a celebrity does not grant you immunity from the law. The action that NBC took was swift and there was no room for debate.
Does this mean that Trump is next?
If you were following a certain kind of logic, it would suggest that the allegations made against the current President would be spotlighted in greater detail, but that isn’t what we’re seeng yet. We’ve recently seen some powerful men in the entertainment industry and the media come under the microscope and lose their reputations along with their careers over allegations of sexual abuse and criminal misconduct.
Politicians accused of sexual assault
November brought in a round of politicians who are being investigated for allegations of sexual misconduct. Minnesota Senator Al Franken and Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore are two of them. We all remember the infamous statements that Donald Trump made previously, attributing the vulgar expressions as just being “locker room talk.” Does he have the right to “just grab” women? Is this what power should be used for? So far, 17 accusers have pointed the finger at Donald Trump for allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and misconduct.
He’s promptly dismissed the complaints as “lies.” While other colleagues in the political arena are catching heat, it seems that the leader is still enjoying immunity for past performances. While it doesn’t appear that there is anything going on currently, we don’ see any forward movement in an investigation of the allegations as we have with other powerful men in lower positions of authority. To answer the question, is Trump next? This doesn’t appear to be the case.
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