Harvey Weinstein Sexually Assaulted 16-Year-Old Girl, According to New Lawsuit
New allegations against Harvey Weinstein claim the disgraced movie mogul forced a then-16-year-old Polish model to touch his penis days after they'd met at a modeling agency, and later subjected her to years of harassment and emotional abuse, allegedly blocking her from a successful acting career as payback for refusing his advances.
The claims, made in a civil lawsuit filed by the victim identified only as "Jane Doe", fall in line with other accusers, who have accused Weinstein of leveraging his power in the movie industry to extort sex from women and derail careers of those that resisted.
Predatory Predilections
According to the lawsuit, the two met at an event at the modeling agency in 2002. After learning she was interested in acting, Weinstein allegedly "gave her his card and directed her to give him her phone number," promising "they would have lunch to discuss her future," she claims. Weinstein then called her three days later, saying he and his driver would pick her up. Instead of heading to a restaurant, however, Weinstein's driver dropped them both at his residence in Soho.
"As Jane Doe rode the elevator with Weinstein, she became nervous," the suit claims. "When the elevator door opened directly into Weinstein's apartment, Jane Doe realized that they were completely alone." Weinstein allegedly "wasted no time in aggressively and threateningly demanding sex," claiming she wouldn't find work as an actor if she didn't cooperate and referencing the careers of Penelope Cruz and Gwyneth Paltrow as proof of power. "He then took off his pants," according to the suit, "and forcibly held Jane Doe while taking her hand and making her touch and massage his penis." Doe eventually screamed, and Weinstein ultimately let her leave.
Persecution and Prosecution
But that doesn't mean Weinstein left her alone. Soon after the incident, Weinstein started calling and texting Jane Doe every two weeks, court filings claim, each time asserting that he was the only person who could help her become an actor. This began a decade-long pattern of sexual harassment, according to Doe's lawsuit.
Weinstein is still facing criminal charges involving allegations of rape and forcible sex in two different incidents involving separate women in 2006 and 2013.
Related Resources:
- Lawsuit Alleges Harvey Weinstein Sexually Assaulted 16-Year-Old Girl (AP)
- Harvey Weinstein Files Motion to Dismiss Ashley Judd Sexual Harassment Lawsuit (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Harvey Weinstein Indicted for Rape, Declines to Testify at Grand Jury (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Sex Trafficking Suit Against Harvey Weinstein Moves Forward (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)