American actress and producer, Mariska Hargitay has criticized the court ruling on Harvey Weinstein’s rape charge.
Recall that the New York rape conviction for Harvey Weinstein was recently overturned after the court dismissed testimony against him based on allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Speaking at Variety’s Power of Women event on Thursday in New York, Hargitay themed her speech around the impossibility of reversing her own strongly held convictions about listening to survivors and fighting back.
Hargitay spoke of the irony that Weinstein’s conviction was overturned because “too many” victims testified at his trial.
“I do want to say something about the overturned Harvey Weinstein conviction.
“Specifically about the reason it was overturned: Too many women’s voices. Too many women were allowed to speak,” she said.
“Risky to let women speak? You’re damn right it is. Too many women speaking brings change,” she said.
“The backlash to #MeToo is evidence of “how powerful those voices are,” she continued.
She urged those in the entertainment industry to “use your power as a catalyst for change” and “examine how your actions either contribute to either keeping the system the way it’s always been or to change it.”
The award winning star was honored at the event for her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors.
Hargitay runs the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization that provides support to people who have been sexually abused.
She has engaged in initiatives to support domestic violence shelters, raise awareness about untested rape kits and contributed to other causes.
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer.
