If you are an avid fan of Hollywood entertainment, you probably remember when The New York Times published sexual misconduct charges and assault allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein in October 2017. This took the world by storm.
As law firms such as Gross and Schuster would tell you, such cases have since become extremely rampant. Seeing more and more victims continuously coming forth with sexual allegations against prominent personalities is proof of this.
Celebrities with Sexual Misconduct Charges
With some allegations being undeniably true and all of them having undeniable consequences for the celebrities involved, the outpouring of allegations is primarily subject to the court of public opinion. On the one hand, this is mainly due to the #MeToo movement.
This phenomenon has led to the rise of an unfounded belief that accusers may be making false accusations as part of a copycat trend. Let’s take a look at some controversial cases of celebrity sexual misconduct.
1. Harvey Weinstein
About 70 women have come forth, saying Weinstein is responsible for sexually assaulting them. Some of them include famous celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. As soon as this came to light, his wife of 10 years, Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman, announced she was leaving him.
Additionally, his company let him go. As of October 20, 2017, Weinstein was still denying all charges against him. However, on May 25, 2018, Weinstein turned himself in on other charges.
Since February 2020, after his conviction, Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year sentence in a New York state prison. He also faces additional counts of rape since his sentencing and imprisonment
2. Bill Cosby
In April 2018, Bill Cosby was found guilty of three charges of indecent aggravated assault in connection with the drugging and sexual abuse of Andrea Constand in 2004. The ruling came ten months after a jury was unable to find a consensus in his case.
Previously, multiple women had brought claims against him. Throughout both trials, he pleaded his innocence. Cosby is presently incarcerated in a Pennsylvania state prison for three to ten years.
3. R. Kelly
After nearly two decades of sexual assault and misconduct allegations against him, R. Kelly was indicted in 2019. A month later saw him giving an interview to CBS, saying he is innocent and claiming his accusers were lying.
A documentary series “Surviving R. Kelly” details troubling accusations against the singer. Since his indictment, Kelly is still in jail facing multiple legal battles concerning these allegations. In September 2020, a judge denied Kelly’s motion seeking immediate release from the Chicago prison he is in.
4. Kevin Spacey
According to actor Anthony Rapp, Spacey made sexual advances toward him in 1985. Rapp was only 14 years old. October 29, 2017, saw the young actor make these allegations public. Less than a week later, more House of Cards crew members came forward with allegations that Spacey had been sexually harassing them.
Additionally, on November 8, 2017, a former Boston TV news anchor came forth with claims that Spacey was sexually suggestive toward her then 18-year-old son. In light of the allegations, Spacey is seeking unspecified treatment. He also faces multiple accusations of sexual assault. Some are still in various stages of litigation.
5. Morgan Freeman
Eight women accused the Oscar winner of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. This accusation was in an investigative report by CNN in May 2018. Freeman put forth a response in the form of an apology, saying it was never his intent to invoke uneasiness in anyone.
Uphold Zero Tolerance Against Sexual Misconduct
In light of such cases, there should be a clear zero-tolerance policy toward sexual harassment. This is true regardless of a person’s place in society. Should these people be found guilty of sexually harassing anyone, there should be immediate consequences.