Entertainment mogul Harvey Weinstein harassed and assaulted dozens of women over the course of 30 years, and a recently proposed legal settlement might let him get off easy.
After two years of legal back-and-forth, Weinstein and his bankrupt Hollywood studio have reached a tentative $25 million settlement with his accusers. The proposal, which has received preliminary approval from all of the major players, would not require Weinstein to admit wrongdoing or pay his victims out of pocket, according to the New York Times.
If it goes through, the proposal would bring an end to nearly every single one of the lawsuits filed by the more than 30 actresses accosted by Weinstein. It must receive court approval, and Weinstein will still face criminal prosecution in January. But the civil claims against Weinstein should not go unnoticed, which is exactly what will happen if this proposal is approved.
Unfortunately, some of Weinstein’s accusers feel as though their hands are tied. Katherine Kendall, one of the actresses who has accused Weinstein of sexual harassment, said she’s disappointed with the terms of the proposal but agreed to it because she doesn’t know how much more they can realistically expect, given the fact that he and his company are staring down financial ruin.
“I don’t love it, but I don’t know how to go after him,” said Kendall, who alleges that Weinstein lured her to his apartment and chased her around it. “I don’t know what I can really do.”
In regard to financial compensation, this proposal might be the best the victims will get, as Genie Harrison, a sexual harassment lawyer representing one of the victims, has said. But Weinstein’s victims deserve more than a monetary consolation; they deserve an apology, an admission, and a criminal conviction.
Weinstein might indeed find himself behind bars come January. But if this deal goes through, he will never need to admit what he’s done or apologize to the women whose lives he destroyed. Instead, he’ll continue to insist that the accusations against him are “patently false,” as he’s done for years.
Weinstein is a coward, and he should be forced to confront the consequences of his sexual predation — in the courtroom and in legal negotiations. His victims deserve that much.
