As the skeletons tumbling out of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s closet mount, an unnamed actress, identified only as "Jane Doe" has sued him for sexual battery in LA. As per Associated Press reports, she has alleged that the film producer forced her into sexual situations in 2015 and 2016.
The lawsuit accuses Weinstein of holding the actress against her will in 2015 as he masturbated in a Beverly Hills hotel room and raping her in the same room in 2016. Several months after the first incident in 2015, Weinstein called her to the same hotel, offering her a part on the show Marco Polo, which Weinstein and his company were producing.
The lawsuit further states that Weinstein threw her on a bed, started performing oral sex on her and put his penis inside her vagina before starting to masturbate on her. The actress was able to flee the room.
“Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual.”Weinstein’s representative, Holly Baird responded with a statement.
The lawsuit also states that The Weinstein Co. was aware of Weinstein's sexually abusive behaviour and it reacted with ‘deliberate indifference’ failing to prevent his actions. The court documents carry details of how they met. The woman reportedly met Weinstein in 2011 at a party in Los Angeles. She also claims that when she informed the producer that she was an actress, he ‘offered to assist her’ in her career.
Jane Doe is suing for compensatory damages and money judgment for “mental pain and anguish and severe emotional distress.”
In the aftermath of Weinstein, many women in Hollywood have been coming forward with sexual abuse allegations against powerful men like actors Kevin Spacey and Steven Seagal amongst others and well-known comedian, Louis C.K. The scandal has been heating up and it led Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey to establish a task force to handle any forthcoming criminal complaints.
Beverly Hills police as well as authorities in Los Angeles, New York and London are investigating Weinstein for possible criminal prosecution.
Source: People Movies
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