Reporter details why she believes Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment stories stayed hidden for decades

Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment or unwanted physical contact against several women in the film industry. A report published by The New York Times claims at least eight of Weinstein’s accusers reached settlements with him.

Writing for The Cut, Rebecca Traister detailed why the allegations may have taken so long to come about. “I have been having conversations about Harvey Weinstein’s history of sexual harassment for more than 17 years,” starts the lengthy piece.

Traister describes how she first heard about the allegations while working at the magazine Talk — financed by Weinstein — back in 1999. She details how employees of the publication often spoke about “hotel rooms, nudity, suggestion, and coercion, and then of whispered payoffs, former assistants who seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth.”

One of the most startling parts of Traister’s report claims — when questioning Weinstein over the highly delayed Othello adaptation O — the producer called her a “c**t” and then called himself the “f**king sheriff of this f**king lawless piece-of-shit town.”

After the incident, the reporter’s colleague attempted to calm things down, Weinstein reportedly pushing them down a set of steps.

These accusations apparently went unreported because of the sheer number of people on Weinstein’s payroll, including journalists, consultants, and filmmakers of all positions.

Traister reasons that many reporters have since tried and failed to report the accusations against Weinstein but have not been able to due to the producer’s “legal and professional and economic power”.

The piece claims: “He gave jobs to people who might otherwise work to bring him down, and gave gobs of money to other powerful people, who knows how much, but perhaps just enough to keep them from listening to ugly rumours that might circulate among young people, among less powerful people.”

What’s changed, according to the piece, is sources have finally gone on record, making claims against Weinstein. There’s also been a shift in people sharing their stories, such as those who made accusations again Bill Cosby. Read the full report here.

Weinstein has since responded to the claims, his attorney saying they would be suing The New York Times for defamation.

“It relies on mostly hearsay accounts and a faulty report, apparently stolen from an employee personnel file, which has been debunked by nine different eyewitnesses,” reads the statement.

“We sent the Times the facts and evidence, but they ignored it and rushed to publish. We are preparing the lawsuit now. All proceeds will be donated to women’s organisations.”

Before that statement was made by the attorney, the Miramax and Weinstein Company co-founder posted a different statement, saying: “Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go. That is my commitment.” Read the full statement here.