Three women have accused disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, according to new bombshell story published Tuesday by The New Yorker.
In a long-anticipated story following a 10-month investigation, journalist Ronan Farrow wrote that he spoke with 13 women who detailed various levels of sexual assault by Weinstein over a roughly 20-year period.
“Three women — among them [actress Asia] Argento and a former aspiring actress named Lucia Evans — told me that Weinstein raped them, allegations that include Weinstein forcibly performing or receiving oral sex and forcing vaginal sex,” wrote Farrow.
One of the women, Lucia Stoller, said Weinstein assaulted her at the Cipriani Upstairs club in 2004, while she was a student at Middlebury College.
Per Farrow’s report:
“He forced me to perform oral sex on him.” As she objected, Weinstein took his penis out of his pants and pulled her head down onto it. “I said, over and over, ‘I don’t want to do this, stop, don’t,’ ” she said. “I tried to get away, but maybe I didn’t try hard enough. I didn’t want to kick him or fight him.” In the end, she said, “He’s a big guy. He overpowered me.” At a certain point, she said, “I just sort of gave up. That’s the most horrible part of it, and that’s why he’s been able to do this for so long to so many women: people give up, and then they feel like it’s their fault.”
The magazine also uncovered a shocking nugget, 2015 audio of Weinstein making unwanted sexual advances toward model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez.
Representatives for both Weinstein Company and Mr. Weinstein did not immediately respond to The Wrap’s request for comment. A representative for Weinstein categorically denied the charges of rape to the New Yorker.
“Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances,” said the spokesperson.
On Thursday, the New York Times revealed that Mr. Weinstein had settled at least eight cases of sexual harassment over his decades long career. The bombshell report has dominated headlines since it dropped. A show of public contrition from Weinstein was ultimately unable to step the damage and the Hollywood titan was fired by his company’s board of directors on Sunday night.