Editorial: Weinstein verdict tells victims they can be believed
Los Angeles timesFeb 25, 2020
On Monday, a Los Angeles, Calif. jury found Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein guilty of rape and two counts of sexual assault against a European model and actor who testified anonymously as "Jane Doe 1."
After a month-long trial and nine days of deliberations, the jury acquitted the 70-year-old of sexual battery charges made by a fourth woman named "Jane Doe 3."
With the guilty verdict of convicted sexual predator Harvey Weinstein, justice has been served. The #MeToo movement gained traction four years ago when the accusations of dozens of his victims told targets of sexual assault that they would be heard. Weinstein's guilty verdict shows that they can be believed and supported.
There needs to be more of a focus on preventing the kind of systemic abuse Weinstein got away with for so many years instead of just reacting to the verdict after the fact. Society still has a long way to go in not only prosecuting predators like Weinstein but also preventing workplace abuse from those in positions of power.